“So the west will also then have to recognize those 4 as being a part of Russia, right?”
No, and they haven’t. Yet.
Map makers will though after this war/conflict concludes.
That said, don’t think Russia gives one shat whether the West ever recognizes such given the Duma has made those 4 Donbass regions permanent parts of the Russian Federation....forever.
So what international rules is the west going by so that all things (such as the Kosovo hand vote or the referendums, etc) are either acceptable for anyone to do these and be recognized by all, or none get to do these things and are recognized by none, so as to avoid the appearance of hypocrisy?
/rhetorical question.