> moreover it is reacting to the US instigating a coup in Ukraine in 2014, and replacing the legitimate government there with one it could manipulate.
this is very obvious nonsense repeating russian misinformation. there is no evidence whatsoever that the maidan revolution was staged by the us or any other foreign country. then, since 2014, there were two presidential elections both of which were considered fair by international observers. russia recognized the 2014 vote. so even if it were true that it was a staged coup, there was no government installed by an outside force like you imply.
this is very obvious nonsense repeating russian misinformation. there is no evidence whatsoever that the maidan revolution was staged by the us or any other foreign country. then, since 2014, there were two presidential elections both of which were considered fair by international observers. russia recognized the 2014 vote. so even if it were true that it was a staged coup, there was no government installed by an outside force like you imply.