Zelensky has jailed and tortured his opposition and shut down newspapers who spoke against his efforts. He was put in place after a coup to overthrow a "democratically elected president" which was back, supported, and engineered by the United States. Crimea and the Donbas have always been disputed and a large amount of the population in that area has and will continue to support Russia.
Okay smart guy, what makes them "independent"?
About a thousand years of history, for one thing and their own language and culture. The Ukraine nation existed before Russia did.
The Ukraine has been repeatedly conquered by the Russians and then starved by the millions by the Soviets.
As far as their elections go and their pick as president, it's their business, not Putin's - and the Russians are thieving their land on the pretense that "rebel Ukrainians" are calling for their help - which is horsehockey, as always.
BTW, where did the antiaircraft missile that was fired at the unarmed and unwarned Dutch airliner come from? Answer, the Russian government. Whose sniper was it during an unarmed protest demonstration, executing over 20 Ukrainians? Answer: Putin's man.