Russian Ultimatum to Ukraine Military Personnel In Crimea

Russia is playing the international stage by stating it only has it's citizens interests in mind while at the same time invading a sovereign nation with military force.  When the Syrian crisis was about to spiral out of control Russia stepped in and called for cooler heads to prevail.  Urging the United States to work with the international community to come to peaceful terms with Assad.  
Fast forward to Ukraine and now Russia has taken the opposite stance on the situation, and to larger extents than the U.S. was willing to do in Syria.  By invading the Crimean Peninsula Russia has set the precedent that it is in their best interest to protect Russian citizens there.  It is no secret that the Ukraine was experiencing political upheaval over the corruption from within the government.  The bulk of the corruption was fueled by Russian interests in the first place.  The ousted president fled to Moscow and is now under Russian protection.  How is that any different than a gang member running back to the other side of town only to return with 50 of his hardest hitting friends?  I applauded Putin during the Syrian crisis as I believed that the international community was overreacting and could have found diplomatic solutions.  Now, Putin has gone off the reservation and begun preparations for another full scale invasion, a-la Georgia 2008.
A sovereign nation such as Ukraine is allowed to experience political upheaval.  When the people believe their government is not working for them they should, and by all rights, be able to rise against such government.  Clearly there was enough support to oppose Viktor Yanukovich or it would never have happened.  This is called democracy.  The same democracy that Putin called for in Syria is now one that he is tossing aside and intervening militarily in the Ukraine.
If Putin really had the best interest of Russian citizens in the Ukraine in mind he would allow the U.N. to intervene instead of taking action on his own.  This is a political move to annex a portion of a country that houses his Black Sea Fleet and forgo future payments to lease the ports.  Issuing an ultimatum of "Leave by 5am or face a storm" is not looking out for the best interest of your people in a region, especially when you are telling this to unarmed guards.
Putin is making a clear play to annex the Crimean Peninsula and for all purposes he does hold the upper hand here.  He has been playing chess with the world while everyone has been focused on the middle east.  He saw his opportunity in the Ukraine, and grabbed it.
Twenty three years after the cold war ended, it took less than a week to spark international tensions again, and could spiral out of control.  I for one hope cooler heads do prevail, and it starts with Putin.