The Ukraine was a free and democratic country when it was invaded by an autocrat who had previously:
1. Declared his intention to restore the old Soviet Union .
2. Brutally suppressed the attempt of Chechnya to establish their own country, because that would have separated them from his vision.
3. Set up autocratic governments in former Soviet countries such as Belarus and Kazakhstan.
4. Took over two provinces from the country of Georgia.
5. Took the Crimea.

And that's just what I can recall at present. Why do some people believe Putin when he says he's protecting Russia from NATO but not when he said the dissolution of the Soviet Union was the greatest political disaster of the century? His past actions are consistent with the latter. Don't actions still speak louder than words?

Please don't tell me Putin is protecting the Russian speaking population of Donbas. His bombardment of civilians pretty clearly disputes this.

Russia may be a Christian country. I had thought Christianity would oppose deliberate bombing of hospitals and refugee centers.

I'm not going to argue with you about the history of the region. Most of what you say is consistent with my understanding. But history doesn't justify Putin's invasion. Unless you're prepared similarly to defend a hypothetical invasion of Cuba or the Philippines by Spain, or the southwestern U.S. by Mexico, or Arizona by the Apaches.

What we should learn from history is that autocrats are seldom satisfied by their current boundaries. Attempts to placate are regarded as signs of weakness.

I'm sure you would do all in your power to defend your country. You should expect Ukrainians to do the same.