[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

So if an ELECTED Ukrainian government killing people who built barricades, took over buildings, and worked to overthrow the government was bad... How come now an UNELECTED Ukrainian government killing people who build barricades, take over buildings, and work to overthrow the government is ok? Both sides suck in this conflict, but the hypocrisy of some people is really amazing.

You are hopelessly uninformed. There is no popular support for uniting with Russia in Eastern Ukraine. 65 percent are opposed to Russia's aggression, even in the East. These "protestors" are pre-invasion forces sent from Russia with around 500 to 600 extremists recruited from across the country. Russia is invading Ukraine.

[Paul R.]

I’m sure some areas in the cities in the East are heavily pro-Russian, but you are correct - there is NO data to support the idea that the entire eastern 3rd of Ukraine wants to secede & join Russia.

It’d be VERY interesting to see results on the equivalent of a precinct by precinct breakdown of where the strongest pro-Russian support is. (Forget ethnicity: Go by population density, economic status, crime rates, and so on — everything we would use to determine a blighted city area here.)

I’d be willing to bet the support for joining Russia comes primarily from exactly the same sort of neighborhoods that vote heavily Dem here. One difference though: I’ve seen nothing to indicate that the majority of the intellectual community in Eastern Ukraine wants to join Russia.

[icwhatudo]

Some of the pre-invasion forces? Nope, no support at all.