Russia cannot win. But Ukraine’s goal should not be revanchism; that would surely be a losing war, as well. The Donbas and Crimea were lost in 2014, when Petro Poroshenko resorted to total warfare against those who were supposedly his own people.
“The Donbas and Crimea were lost in 2014, when Petro Poroshenko resorted to total warfare against those who were supposedly his own people.”
The civil war didn’t start until after Crimea was invaded and occupied in late February, 2014; and on March 18, 2014 annexed by Russia. During that same period Russia fomented civil war and inserted Russian forces into the Donbas for that purpose.
The civil war began in April 2014 when armed Russian-backed separatists seized government buildings, and the Ukrainian government launched an operation against them.
Facts are stubborn things.