Carl Bildt: Putin's gambit on Ukraine could lead Russia down a dangerous path

The Kremlin's latest provocations owe much to Vladimir Putin's misguided fantasy about building a Slavic empire

Russian president Vladimir Putin's government has been waging a multifaceted offensive since 2013 to prevent neighbouring states from making deals with the EU. Picture: Mikhail Tereshchenko/Sputnik/AP

As reports pile up about Russia’s military mobilisation  on Ukraine’s border and the Kremlin’s diplomatic demands, questions abound. What is going on? What will come next? Will Russia invade? 

In fact, Russian president Vladimir Putin is following an eight-year-old script.