title: Assisted suicide
abstract: Russia's annexation of Crimea and support of separatists in East Ukraine were condemned by Western leaders as acts of aggression endangering the world order. Russia increased the numbers and readiness of its own forces in areas of possible conflict with NATO. The tragedy that befell Ukraine had internal and external causes that reinforced each other. There was struggle for power among Ukraine's elites, and there was struggle for influence over Ukraine between Russia and the West. A pure and insp