>>63922585>occupyNow there is a fun thought actually. Freeze the lines now, for example.
All this land DOES have to be occupied, forever, as there is a hostile nation-state with western backing right there. Within and with out. Probably several hundred thousand men, at minimum, stationed around the clock with some hundreds thousands more guaranteeing they're supplied (food, fuel, arms, etc). Internal security, external security, general surveillance and monitoring. Have to keep all those factories running too, lest war breaks out and you run out of the goods.
Also it does need to be rebuilt and cleared of UXO.
You know, that's a great point. The value proposition for invading Ukraine has been certifiably terrible in the short-term, but absolutely atrocious in the medium. I have my doubts about "long" being a use-case, you've convinced me ;^).