the Russian Empire (which literally has empire in the name)

That was a century and two governments ago my guy. That’d be like me saying that Hungary is intent on reestablishing the Austro-Hungarian empire: hilarious fanfiction.

So what you’re saying is that Russia intends to take over Ukraine because the Russian government wants to return to the status quo of 110 years ago because…reasons. Even though doing that would put NATO directly across a newly destabilized border. Yeah man, sounds like a plan.

Ukraine is a basket case state, Russia does not want to be responsible for administrating it and stomping out decades of Banderite insurgencies. It’s a drain. It’s in their interest to let Europe shoulder that burden. It’s US corporations that are intent on snatching all their minerals and real estate as usurious repayment for the equipment the puppet government used in their doomed ethnic cleansing campaign. Same mafia shit the US has been doing forever.