“once the regions that hold the referendums are part of Russia. Once that happens, they will be defended as Russian territory and will never go back to being part of Ukraine.”
Until the first Ukrainian with a knife shows up and the Russian conscripts drop their weapons and run away as fast as possible.
How long exactly did it take for Ukraine to liberate Izyum?
The thing about internecine wars, is they NEVER end; and they are ALWAYS barbaric.
Putin should have thought about that before he stirred up this hornet’s nest.