>>510101845Russia needed excuses to sell it to its population, the actual reasons have always been obvious
There are economic as well as strategic military benefits, but the war has been too costly to justify them
The main reason is that until 1991, Ukraine historically had been Russian clay since the 1600s. Even before that, Russia and Ukraine stem from the same medieval state and share a near-identical culture.
Russia has a very legitimate claim that Ukrainians are a regional Russian identity rather than a separate nationality on their own right
Russians therefore rightfully believe Ukraine belongs to them, and the only reason they let it slip was the period of weakness in the 90s
This war is about restoring lost national pride. The reason it happened now is because the western empire is collapsing and no longer capable of adequately enforcing their imperial gains in Ukraine.
Obviously Putin miscalculated how easy it would be and how corrupt his military is, but he has shown determination and the conflict has forced the decaying Russian military to adapt and become one of the most formidable battle-hardened militaries in the world, something Russia will need in the years to come