1,000 Ukie Marines just surrendered in Mariupol. The Donbass provinces will now be targeted. Just learning?
The Donbass provinces are ethnic Russian, and declared their Independence from Ukraine in 2015. The Ukies signed the Minsk agreements to allow them their Independence, but then started shelling them for 8 years…one of the reasons Vlad went into Ukraine.
Zelensky knows this, and permitted the Azov territorial army ( Neo Nazi’s) to go to war with them, he did nothing to stop the Donbass shelling and bombing.
Vlad will secure their Independence, then go to the negotiating table.
Vlad can now mop up, and finally secure the Independent Donbass provinces.
Should not take to much longer, with that, his stated objectives will be met.
Let’s hope they can finally get to the negotiating table.
While 75% of Donetsk Oblast and 69% of Luhnask Oblasts speak Russian, only 39% and 38% of the respective oblasts are ethnically Russian; they are majority Ukrainian.
and declared their Independence from Ukraine in 2015.
Independence was declared by a Russian supported militia group that had occupied the eastern part of Donbass.
Ukies signed the Minsk agreements to allow them their Independence
The Minsk agreements called for autonomy in a Donbass reintegrated into Ukraine, not independence. Prior to this, in 1994 Russia had signed an agreement to recognize the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine in exchange for Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons. Russia violated this agreement when it invaded Crimea and supported an armed revolt among the ethnic Russian minority in Donbass.
Let us not fool ourselves, Russia's invasion is not about protecting the ethnic Russians, it is about reacquiring territories lost to the old Russian state. Putin, like many other Russians, has been clear that he does not recognize Ukraine as a legitimate state.