UKRAINE ESCALATION?

In recent history two conflicts between Russia and America resulted in Russia backing down when faced with superior western conventional weaponry and spending ability.  1) Gorbachev era,  2) Afghanistan invasion. Since then Russia has watched the US fail in Libya, Iraq,  Syria and Afghanistan recently.. 

So it is likely that the Russians are no longer willing to back down so easily without exacting a higher level of pain both financially and militarily for the U.S.  This line of thinking may also prevail in Beijing, Pyongyang and Iran? 

That Russia doesn't care how many Ukrainians it kills in its brutal campaigns should be no surprise. 

After all the invasion of that country is simply a land grab a real estate acquisition much like the purchase of Alaska from the last Czar of Russia or the confiscation of Texas from Mexico.  

Some collateral damage is expected.