Ukraine is a small country. Only some 576,000 square kilometers. Ukrainians soldiers would have been crazy to fight completely surrounded by Russians. The only outcome would have been death for nothing.
Do you even know how big is Ukraine Military?
Let's do a 3 way comparison between Ukraine, Georgia and Russia
Russia
Armed Force - 2,800,000 (Active 700,000, Reserve 2,035,000)
Land Size - 17,098,242 km2
Area/Defense Ratio - 0.16 solider per square kilometer
Ground force - 360,000, MBT ~ 18,000
Air Force - 160,000, 600 Fighters, 500 Ground attackers
Navy - ~ 20 major surface ship, 40 submarine
Ukraine
Armed Force - 1,200,000 (Active 200,000 (Active + Active reserve), reserve 1,000,000)
Land size - 603,628 km2
Area/Defense Ratio - 1.98 soldier per sq kilometer
Ground force - 65,000, MBT ~ 680
Air Force - 43,100, 135 fighter, 200 Ground attackers
Navy - 20,000 ~ 5 surface combat ship, no sub
Georgia
Armed Force - 190,000 (37,000 active, 150,000 reserve)
Land Size - 69,700 km2
Area/Defense Ratio - 2.72 soldier per sq kilometer
Ground Force - 37,000, MBT 200
Air Force - 3,000, 0 fighters, 47 Ground attacker
Navy - No Navy, 5 Coast Guard vessel with < 3000 sailor.
Now, it take Russia 5 days to fight off the Georgia defender, with less than 15,000 available personnel back then, how long it would take if Ukraine decided to defend their town with mobilized reserve of 1.2 mil soldier??
Traditional Defense figure point of to 1 : 3 Favor for defender, and Only eastern Ukraine are connected directly to the Russia via land border, so how would you want the Russian to fight without any kind of major casualty?? Even Georgia cause 400 casualty in 5 days (110 killed). a war with Ukraine will probably pour 50-100 times the casualty with Georgia and that's before NATO even step in.
So, how exactly is Ukraine a non-factor? Can you care to elaborate?
It is illegal to annex any country's territory unless those people vote in a referendum to join. In accordance to international law, Russia did not invade and annexe Abkhazia and South Ossetia after their independence from Georgia.
Only happen if the poll is recognized by UN, last I Check, the so called "poll" only recognized by Russia and not UN.
On the other hand, East Timor separation poll IS recognized by UN and hence the poll is legal.
If no one recognized that, how would it become legal?