Name of the game - The Ukrainians have been fighting off Russia (i.e., the Mongol Horde for them) for a long, long time. The Maidan is just the most recent eruption. If you ask the Ukrainians “Was it worth it?” I think the answer from most is an enthusiastic yes. They are volunteering to dig trenches around Mariupol and engage in guerrilla warfare against a larger, more powerful enemy, despite the almost complete lack of material support from the EU and the US. As for this argument about democratic illusions, the Maidanists were fighting for no such thing. In fact it was Putin and the paleos in this country who granted Yanukovich untouchable status thanks to his “legitimate election.” Au contraire, the Maidanists were fighting precisely for “accountable, stable, institutions, and a political culture that values the rule of law.