There are rumors that Vladamir Putin wants to resurrect the Soviet Union by reclaiming sovereign countries, and he has taken many measures to achieve this goal. Recently, Putin has deployed several hundred troops into Ukrainian-owned Crimea.

As reported by the Interfax news agency, Ukraine’s interim Prime Minister, Arseny Yatsenyuk, responded to Putin’s actions with the following comment: “We call on the government and authorities of Russia to recall their forces, and to return them to their stations. Russian partners, stop provoking civil and military resistance in Ukraine.”

Russia ignored this press release.

At the United Nations, Ukrainian ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev announced that Russian transport aircraft and eleven attack helicopters had arrived in Crimea illegally, and that Russian troops had taken control of two airports in Crimea. President Obama has said that these actions will not be tolerated and that “The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine.”

Crimea is important to Russia for a number of reasons, including its population of ethnic Russians and its strategic position that would open Russia up to the Mediterranean Sea for trading purposes.

Putin has also tried to take over the Republic of Georgia; however, he was not successful.

Now many people are worried that the U.S. and Russia will go to war, although that is a very unlikely situation. Hopefully Putin will back down and Russia will reclaim its spot as a global mediator.