The purpose of the very limited russian involvement in eastern Ukraine is probably not to win the war, but rather to keep it going forever, on as low a level as possible. As long as Ukraine does not control it’s own territory, it cannot apply for membership of EU or NATO.
Fake news
Ukraine exaggerating Russian involvement
Very simple - people don't want to fight for anything other than freedom of their own country.
Russian military is fighting for money, they are officially either sacked from the army or "on holiday", once they die, no one cares about their bodies.
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There is no distinguished border between “pro-Russian” and “pro-Ukrainian” territories. Even in the westmost parts of Ukraine there are pro-Russian people and in the eastern part there are (or at least were before the war) pro-Ukrainian people.
Even more: people are not born pro-Ukrainian or pro-Russian, 15–20 years ago even in Kyiv there was some hostility towards western Ukraine. And if Ukraine lets Russia take Donetsk, I would expect that a number of separatists in Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkiv etc. will also grow. And that means that the war will spread further. The only way to end the war is to make all the parties respect the borders established in 1991.
Any polls you would see from Crimea/Donbas presently go through a double prism of a) Russian hate propaganda which constitutes their only access to information, b) Russian artificial fake reporting.
That would be a good idea. But Luhansk, Donetsk republics together with Russia, Ukraine and European OSCE has signed the Minsk Protocol meaning they should be a part of Ukraine with extended autonomy SMS ther right tio keep their language.
Zelensky however doesn't follow the protocol cause he is pressured by neo nazi groups like Azovs company who might create another revolution if not satisfied, and continues the war in east.
Mmmm, natural resources…?
The East is rich with coal and metals, but mostly coal. It was the coal cradle of USSR and losing that territory would mean massive revenue losses for Ukraine.
Russian side
Ukrainian are nazis
