If you ask a russian there is a good chance they will tell you Russia is "defending" one thing or another in Ukraine.
Or that russia is in fact defending itself from an attack from "the west" atm.
It's all bullshit, but propaganda will do its thing.

Nothing (russian) stopping NK from trying to "defend" some shit in SK as well.
Off course they will then find out that Putins word is not worth the dickhole it came out of, but that's another story.