We’ve seen quite a lot of grist thrown into the rumor mill that Crimea, Ukraine, is next on the Kremlin’s annexation list following the relatively easy seizure of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.  However this piece by Joshua Kucera over at Slate.com is definitely worth the time.

The friendship between Russia and Ukraine is on the rocks these days. The 2004 Orange Revolution brought in pro-Western leaders who have prioritized joining NATO and the European Union to the detriment of Kiev’s ties to Moscow. The summer 2008 war between Georgia and Russia ratcheted up the tension even more: Ukraine sold arms to Georgia (some secretly, Russia and a few Ukrainians allege), and its president, Viktor Yushchenko, flew to Georgia to show Ukraine’s support. Meanwhile, Russian navy ships based in Ukraine ferried troops to Georgia and sank one Georgian coast guard vessel.