Do not think that this is an idle threat. For a long time, I have seen that the West underestimates and disregards what Putin has to say, and not only that, have seen that Putin is reluctant to act in ways that are consistent with what he says when it comes to escalating things, but acts when he feels that there is no other way . . . Take his sending the Russian military into Syria, for example. Syria was an ally, and Putin sent troops because he understood that if he did not, Syria would be the next Libya . . . . Now things have become far worse. In Putin's view, Ukraine is one of the last bastions of defense for Russia, and, as has been repeated over and over again, the West fails to heed what Putin is saying. Putin also believes (and rightly so) that if you are going to go to war, striking the enemy before they strike you is the best option. And this is were the idiots in Washington have put us, due to their complete stupidity and arrogance.

[rt.com]