In the 1991 referendum on Ukrainian independence, 83.9% of voters in Donetsk Oblast and 83.6% in Luhansk Oblast supported independence from the Soviet Union.
how does this gel with the Russian language speaking map?
Because "Russian speaking" is not the same as "Ethnic Russian not ethnic Ukrainian" nor the same as "wanting to be under Moscow" --> there are lots of Russian speakers in Ukraine -- like Zelensky, a Russian speaker and lot of people with both parents from Russia who still do not want to be ruled from Moscow and prefer being Ukrainian
The referenda you refer to are illegal, even by Russian Federation law, since they take place on contested territories during active fighting. From the international law point of view, holding elections in occupied areas will likely be considered a war crime, with a subsequent increase in sanctions on Russia and aid to Ukraine.
30 years ago? Do you really have to go back that far to portray support for the corrupt Ukrainian government? Amazing. The Soviet Union was still writhing in its death throes, causing misery for all. That’s your comparison? Wow.
Nothing is the same. The SOviet Union is gone. Our CIA and State Department worked with NATO allies to overthrow the corrupt Ukrainian government and install their corrupt puppet. The situation went from bad to worse for the public. The neo Nazis continue to torment the Russians living in Eastern Ukraine. I can’t believe you hang your geopolitics on the world that existed 30 years ago.
Cronos, good work!
You have the Russian bots on you today, that’s a good sign.
You hit them with the truth, as usual they get triggered, and as usual they lose the argument.