Changes

As early as 1994, Russia began warning the [[United States]] that, if [[NATO enlargement]] extended to the Russian borders, [[Moscow]] would view this as evidence of hostility and mount a [[military]] response. But by 2004, every member state of the former Soviet-dominated [[Warsaw Pact]] had been inducted into NATO. In the Cold War, NATO had been a purely defensive alliance designed to counter Moscow in [[Europe]]. But in 1995, NATO began to take the offensive. It intervened in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]. In 1999, it launched a 78-day bombing campaign that wrested [[Kosovo]] from [[Serbia]], a state traditionally associated with Russia. In 2001, NATO joined the United States in its twenty-year war to pacify faraway [[Afghanistan]] outside Europe. And in 2011, it supported a regime change operation that threw [[Libya]] into [[anarchy]], again outside Europe. As NATO expanded toward Russia, Moscow came to see it as an increasingly active [[military]] threat.

As early as 1994, Russia began warning the [[United States]] that, if [[NATO enlargement]] extended to the Russian borders, [[Moscow]] would view this as evidence of hostility and mount a [[military]] response. But by 2004, every member state of the former Soviet-dominated [[Warsaw Pact]] had been inducted into NATO. In the Cold War, NATO had been a purely defensive alliance designed to counter Moscow in [[Europe]]. But in 1995, NATO began to take the offensive. It intervened in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]. In 1999, it launched a 78-day bombing campaign that wrested [[Kosovo]] from [[Serbia]], a state traditionally associated with Russia. In 2001, NATO joined the United States in its twenty-year war to pacify faraway [[Afghanistan]] outside Europe. And in 2011, it supported a regime change operation that threw [[Libya]] into [[anarchy]], again outside Europe. As NATO expanded toward Russia, Moscow came to see it as an increasingly active [[military]] threat.

In 2007, Russian [[President Vladimir Putin]] issued a strong warning against further NATO enlargement. But in 2008, under U.S. pressure, NATO offered membership to the [[republic of Georgia]] and [[Ukraine]], both former constituent states of the Soviet Union bordering the [[Russian Federation]]. An emboldened Georgia then challenged Russian influence in minority regions on its Russian border. The result was the first [[Europe]]an [[war]] of the 21st century, which ended in the Russian-aided secession of both [[South Ossetia]] and [[Abkhazia]] from Georgia and Russian establishment of suzerainty there.

In 2007, Russian [[President Vladimir Putin]] issued a strong warning against further NATO enlargement. But in 2008, under U.S. pressure, NATO offered membership to the [[Republic of Georgia]] and [[Ukraine]], both former constituent states of the Soviet Union bordering the [[Russian Federation]]. An emboldened Georgia then challenged Russian influence in minority regions on its Russian border. The result was the first [[Europe]]an [[war]] of the 21st century, which ended in the Russian-aided secession of both [[South Ossetia]] and [[Abkhazia]] from Georgia and Russian establishment of suzerainty there.

In 2014 a US-supported [[color revolution]] and [[regime change]] operation overthrew the [[democratic]]ally [[elect]]ed but [[corrupt]] pro-Russian [[government]] of Ukraine. After the [[coup]], the [[U.S.]] again pressed [[NATO]] to induct Ukraine. Ukrainian membership in NATO threatened, among other consequences, to deprive Russia of its centuries-old vital [[national security]] [[Black Sea]] naval base in [[Crimea]]. In a [[blood]]less use of [[military]] measures short of war, Russia then took back Crimea, administrative control of which the Soviet Union had transferred from Russia to Ukraine in 1954.

In 2014 a US-supported [[color revolution]] and [[regime change]] operation overthrew the [[democratic]]ally [[election|elected]] but [[corrupt]] pro-Russian [[government]] of Ukraine. After the [[coup]], the [[U.S.]] again pressed [[NATO]] to induct Ukraine. Ukrainian membership in NATO threatened, among other consequences, to deprive Russia of its centuries-old vital [[national security]] [[Black Sea]] naval base in [[Crimea]]. In a [[blood]]less use of [[military]] measures short of war, Russia then took back Crimea, administrative control of which the Soviet Union had transferred from Russia to Ukraine in 1954.

Meanwhile, the new ultranationalist regime in [[Kyiv]] sought to make Ukrainian the sole [[language]] of official and interpersonal communication in public institutions throughout the country, ending the official use of [[Russian]] and other languages at both the national and regional levels. Soon thereafter, Russia conducted a [[referendum]] in Crimea, most of whose inhabitants — more than three-fourths of whom are native speakers of Russian – welcomed reincorporation into the [[Russian Federation]]. The [[Donbas]] oblasts of [[Donetsk]] and [[Lugansk]], where Russian speakers are seventy percent or more of the [[population]], then declared their [[autonomy]] from Ukraine, but were denied reincarnation into the Russian Federation by the Russian State Duma.

Meanwhile, the new ultranationalist regime in [[Kyiv]] sought to make Ukrainian the sole [[language]] of official and interpersonal communication in public institutions throughout the country, ending the official use of [[Russian]] and other languages at both the national and regional levels. Soon thereafter, Russia conducted a [[referendum]] in Crimea, most of whose inhabitants — more than three-fourths of whom are native speakers of Russian – welcomed reincorporation into the [[Russian Federation]]. The [[Donbas]] oblasts of [[Donetsk]] and [[Lugansk]], where Russian speakers are seventy percent or more of the [[population]], then declared their [[autonomy]] from Ukraine, but were denied reincarnation into the Russian Federation by the Russian State Duma.