It looks like Russia is setting things up to provide themselves with an excuse to go to war.

Update: (2009-01-17)

Putin is after regime change:
“We will always proceed from the premise that we have a special historical relationship with Ukraine. Our actions are aimed not at worsening the situation in Ukraine, but on the contrary at improving it and ridding the Ukrainian people of all sorts of swindlers and bribe-takers,” [Putin said].
In other words: "We are your friends! Just change your government to suit Kremlin."