There is absolutely nothing in the Ukrainian goverment's interest to shoot unarmed civillians.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. It would be a war crime, and that sort of thing is frowned upon.
2. It would make them look like bloody hypocrites after what happened to protesters on the Maidan

and most importantly:

3. Russia would undoubtedly capitalize upon such an incident and send it the Russian Army regulars to reunite "New Russia" with "Old Russia"

Even if they don't give a shit about Reason Nos. 1 and 2, they undoubtedly would care about Reason No. 3.

So the people who spin it that the Ukrainian Army "defied orders" by not shooting unarmed civilians--human shields they may be--are completely and utterly full of it.

[Orsino]

1. Ditto our in Iraq and Afghanistan...

...or any war, ever, that we could name. Yet it happens every goddamned time and is one of the reasons why war is supposed to be an absolutely last resort.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. You forgot number 4

They shot back, not shot at.

That distinction is important. Self defense is authorized. But I expect the Russians to invade now, and I won't be shocked if they keep on driving all the way to the Polish border.