Corprin
Autocross Champion
That's already played out once before, in Cuba & Turkey. Cuba is still paying the price today.
I think there's one important difference as well between Ukraine and its neighbors. If there's one thing the Ukraine people have shown this last week it's the idea that "Ukraine isn't a real state" was nothing more than Russian propaganda. The Ukraine people have shown that they intend to fight for their autonomy from Russia, or die trying. They're serious about not becoming Belarus.
this.
Ukraine is sovereign and doesn’t want to be a Russian puppet state. They want to be part of the greater European sphere. Russia doesn’t like this and has invaded to get what they want.
Ukraine is fighting back, and good on them.