>>82128383
>1. demographics
Russia's "white" population is crashing compared to its muslim and asian population. This was partially a gamble to incorporate millions of "white" Ukrainians into Russia. It's why they are experimenting with russofication (brainwashing) of stolen Ukrainian children.
>2. borders
To actually be safe from a conventional land invasion, Russia needs to have borders like they did under the soviet union. That doesn't just give extra territory between Russian population centers and Europe. It doesn't just give extra people to throw into the meat grinder. It also advances their borders to mountain and ocean chokepoints, in such a way, that more land requires fewer troops to defend.
This is also why Ukrainians don't believe in surrendering, for the sake of peace. Because if they surrender, and become Russian, they won't be at peace. They will be the first ones drafted in a Russian war to conquer the other post-soviet countries. This is exactly what happened to the Chechens. They lost the Russo-Chechen war, but that doesn't mean they get to stop fighting; Chechens are now drafted to go fight in Ukraine.
