I don’t think Russia has the ability to hold onto Ukraine now. They have a hard enough time with the Muslims in their own country.
Russia had the loyalty of the people in the rest of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. They no longer have that. In the days of the Internet, it’s hard to keep things secret.
I hope you’re right.
Yet, Putin doesn’t need to control Ukraine directly, he can have his stooge Ya. running things. Uprising? why waste Russian soldiers, you can just send Ukrainian riot police.
As for the Internet, it’s still how how you manipulate the information.
So couple of days ago, when they had their first deaths, the government channel hasn’t mentioned them at all. Instead they had an expert who was telling how bad for the environment it is that the protesters are burning tires. You have three human beings who have lost their lives, gone and this vomit is talking about air pollution.
Or yesterday, with the footage of the police parading a beaten protester nude - their talking point today is, the man wanted to set himself on fire, that’s why they had to take his clothes off. Makes sense, right? and the injuries on his face, hands and body - he slipped on ice. twice