Quote (Handcuffs @ 19 Jul 2023 14:10)
I'm happy to learn something new, but even if one considers the War in Donbas to be indicative of "a nation divided in civil war", it doesn't mute Ukraine's independence and sovereignty outside of that region. And further, I don't see how one can hope Russia wins this war given that Russia is not simply seeking to capture and secure the Donbas region, but is targeting the whole of Ukraine.
There can be an argument that the part of Ukraine that is governed by the side supported by the West is itself sovereign, and the same can be argued for the part of Ukraine that is supported by Russia. And both the West and Russia have used these arguments to recognize their respective regions and ignored their opposition and refused to recognize their opposition. That isn't a solution to anything it's effectively just 2 assholes fighting each other by pushing a pair of defenceless children into each other. Or more than a pair. I vaguely recall there were 2 different governments arose in the East following the coup not just 1. But really that's beside the point.
I don't believe Russia wants Ukraine. I don't believe they really even want Donbass or Crimea but strategically they cannot let them go. But they definitely don't want Ukraine entire. That would cause them nothing but problems forever. Basically Israel and Palestine issue. I don't think for a second anyone in authority in Russia doesn't know it.