Firstly Ethnic Russians were promised protection under the formation of the modern Ukrainian state. For a good long while, they were given that. Many served Ukrainian in their highest capacity. Ukraine & Russia were close friends with open travel before the 2014 CIA-sponsored Coup and subversion by NATO powers. Fleeing makes Ethnic Russians and Russia look weak. Ukraine shelled the Ethnic Russians Donbas & cut energy off to Crimea. It violated the Minsk Agreements, which guaranteed sovereignty & protection to Ethnic Russians and Russian regions of Ukraine. Leaving Ukraine means ethnic Russians, and the Russians will look weak. Other Geopolitical interests took advantage of Russia loosing a warm water port in Crimea, leading NATO closer to Russia's borders. Given the Liberal West's attempts to subvert, impoverish, and break up Russia, this puts Russia in a dangerous Geopolitical Position. Russia & its Ethnic Russians don't want conflict but will fight back when provoked.