>>513140840
>>513143077
>that's really what crimea was, russia just got there in time to make reclamation unrealistic
Yeah, I remember the press trying to sell me on the idea that I was supposed to be outraged that Russia had "conquered" a province that had over 90% of its people vote to secede and join Russia. Realistically the Russians couldn't afford to let their port at Sevastapol go anyway since it would cut off their access to the Black Sea and their only port that's clear from all ice year round.
Donetsk and Luhansk should have done the same thing and this war never would have happened. I suspect at this point they may end up as demilitarized Russian satellite states. That would give the Russians the buffer zone they want and let Trump, NATO and Ukraine save face by claiming that Russia didn't conquer them.