“Oh, then why are they still fighting?”
They have what they want and are simply fending off Ukrainian militia attacks as they come. So likely the fighting will never stop. The Russians have no designs on anything else, and the coup insists it has a right to inherit all of what old Ukraine possessed.
So the low level fighting will probably never stop as long as the Ukes get supported by their benefactors.
You believe that’s the extent of Putin’s imperial designs? Really? You think he’s on the up and up? He didn’t say that the worst thing that happened in the 20th Century was the collapse of the Soviet Union? He doesn’t aspire to restore Russia to world Super Power status, just helping a minor region in Ukraine? OMG. I remember leftist being duped by the Soviet Union’s crass propaganda, but I think you’re possibly presenting evidence of the most credulity ever of Putin’s ambitions. Just a nice former KGB man, Colonel, turned ultra nationalist Russian Orthodox Christian national chauvinist who is misunderstood and merely helping a small region in Ukraine.