A theory as to why Russia invaded? As in a single underlying mechanism or principle, no. As in a combination of factors, any of which alone might not have sufficient, but which combined seem like adequate incentive, yes.
1. Completing what they started in 2014 and repatriating territory that was basically the cradle of Russia and has been Russian territory for about 800 years out of the last 1300 years. - the classicist view
2. Doing something about 125,000 troops massed at the border for 3 months - the realist view
3. Doing something about the “genocide lite” that the western Ukrainians have been perpetrating for the last 7 years - as has historically been their wont - a liberal view I suppose
I find myself searching for a positivist reason, yet I suppose I lack research and data to do so...
And, need I mention, it matters not if any of these reasons make sense to the readers here. As analysis of motivation, all that matters is if these reasons make sense to Russians.
A theory as to why Russia invaded? As in a single underlying mechanism or principle, no. As in a combination of factors, any of which alone might not have sufficient, but which combined seem like adequate incentive, yes.
1. Completing what they started in 2014 and repatriating territory that was basically the cradle of Russia and has been Russian territory for about 800 years out of the last 1300 years. - the classicist view
2. Doing something about 125,000 troops massed at the border for 3 months - the realist view
3. Doing something about the “genocide lite” that the western Ukrainians have been perpetrating for the last 7 years - as has historically been their wont - a liberal view I suppose
I find myself searching for a positivist reason, yet I suppose I lack research and data to do so...
And, need I mention, it matters not if any of these reasons make sense to the readers here. As analysis of motivation, all that matters is if these reasons make sense to Russians.
AZW
If you can point to a time where Russia wasn’t highly xenophobic and/or aggressively imperialist, I guess you’ve falsified my theory.