Vladimir Putin’s decision to re-assert Russia’s influence in Ukraine continues to spur intense geopolitical tensions and bring back memories of the Cold War. Putin has made clear he intends to protect millions of ethnic Russians in the southeastern part of the country after a popular uprising drove his staunch ally, then-President Viktor Yanukovych, to flee. It remains unclear how far Putin will go on behalf of his ethnic brethren. Will he seize control of the half of Ukraine where there is a large Russian population? Will he take over the entire country, right up to the border with Poland, a NATO ally? No one knows. But Putin’s foray into Ukraine inspired political cartoonist John Prichett’s interpretation of Moscow’s actions and goals.

About the author: John Pritchett is a longtime award-winning political cartoonist. He has been penning artwork in Hawaii for decades, including 20 years at the Honolulu Weekly. Find more of his work on the web at pritchettcartoons.com.