Their goal was never to takeover Ukraine, they only ever wanted the Donbas and Ukraine to not join NATO, if the CIA had not removed Yanukovych a pro Russian leader and replaced him with Zelensky a pro western leader and sought NATO membership they would still have the Donbas and Crimea, but the west and Europe decided to do it and now we have a loss of territory for Ukraine and a million dead.
The whole war like all other wars is being fought over economic opportunity. Russia needed to protect their gas monopoly over Europe, there are gas assets off the Ukraine coastline that where developed could have neutralised Russias position this would never happen under a pro Russian administration but could under a pro western one with NATO protection. Putin is just protecting his position and the west looking to undermine his and insert their own economic agenda. No one cares about Ukraine or Ukrainians and that is the true crime, just like Putin doesn't care like Stalin before him how many Russians die to protect their interests. They now have ensuredwitheir strategic land grab that where those gas assets are developed it will be Russian companies doing it.
Incorrect.
Putin has a few days ago introduced a new directive for the 'de-nazification' of Ukraine.
They tried to take Kiev, topple the government, takeover the country, and failed.
Ukraine, with western backing, took back half the territory Russia initially occupied.
Europe now hardly gets any gas from Russia, so they've lost that market. If their aim was to protect their 'gas monopoly' then they've completely failed.
The ruble is now over a 100 to the USD, having collapsed from about 30, Russia is now sanctioned and have suffered huge losses in military equipment and lives. Their military is now considerably weakened and depleted compared to the West.
Two other countries have also joined NATO as a result of the war, increasing NATO presence on their borders.
Besides a few pieces of surrounding territory to the 'republics', they've gained nothing. The losses to their economy far outweigh any of these small territorial claims. Most Russians are now poorer and worse off.
The Russian military has lost credibility and is considered obsolete and incapable compared to western countries. Before the war, the Russian military still had some prestige from the Soviet days, now they look like clowns.
