Something fishy here:
www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/ukraine/2013/ukraine-131121-rianovosti01.htm?_m=3n.002a.966.sm0ao034ib.vtk
Not that fishy. Look at Georgia.... we told them we were best buds now, and even sent some guys over to train their military. When Russia invaded, we.... didn't do shit. We gave up on putting missile units in former eastern bloc countries because the Russians asked nicely, and we didn't ask for anything in return. It's not rocket science, if you were locked in a cage with a rabid bear and a bored eagle, who would you make friends with?
Russia wants all of the former Soviet Republics to stay close to Russia more than the US and Europe want them, and the Russians are willing to do a lot more (good and bad stuff) to make sure that happens.