This is perhaps the most dangerous point in Europe's history since the Cold War ended. Direct confrontation between Russian and Ukrainian forces would draw in the United States, one way or another. While there is still time, it's important to understand what each party involved is aiming for.
Over the past 10 days, Moscow has been unpleasantly surprised several times:
The first surprise was when Ukraine's then president, Viktor Yanukovych, halted an operation that would have cleared his opponents from the positions they occupied in central Kiev. Given the clear order, the Berkut riot police were closing in on the Maidan — the protest movement, named after Kiev's Independence Square, whose leaders were desperately calling for a truce — but suddenly the Berkut advance was stopped. Instead, Yanukovych invited the opposition for negotiations.