Russia and the US will NEVER have a direct military confrontation....we fight through satellitle states, keeping the conflicts small. (Vietnam, Cuba, Turkey, Iran in the 70-80s, Korea, etc...) More modern example are the US putting missile systems in Poland and admiting the Czech republic into NATO, which was a counter balance to the USSR and Warsaw pact.
THe provocation is that the USSR and warsaw pact are no longer in existence...which means NATO and the US are pushing Russia by itself and not all of its supporting members of the USSR.
I don't blame Putin for reaction to our new found relationship with Poland, Czech, and other eastern bloc nations...He needs to show some strength in to the Russian public in order to stay in power.