Putin is looking at two oblasts that are the most corrupt and have the most needs of all. The Crimea is going to be a huge drain on Russian resources. With the Russian economy in a recession, taking on Luhansk and Donetsk is the same as throwing money into a black hole.
There’s a reason Russia dumped Ukraine and Belarus twenty years ago.
Yes. They had stripped them of just about everything they could...
In 2012, Donetsk was admitted as the best city for business in Ukraine by Forbes. Donetsk topped the rating in five indicators: human capital, the purchasing power of citizens, investment situation, economic stability, as well as infrastructure and comfort.
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