True, if Putin wanted to take that lot, he could. But he's shown no desire to do so. I reckon either those who say he wants a frozen conflict, or those who think he prefers an autonomous spoiler state within Ukraine, are right. Whichever, he'd get the power to disrupt, without having to take direct responsibility, which I think would suit him just fine.
He doesn't want to pay to prop up all the lands claimed by "Novorossiya", & nor do his oligarch friends see any use for Ukrainian tank factories or the like. He'll be happy to see the rebel lands fester, & use them as a stick to beat Ukraine with when it won't come to heel. For that, what the rebels have now (with a little tidying up, e.g. getting the Ukrainians away from Donetsk airport) is plenty. He can use the rebel demand for all of the two oblasts as a threat, to get lesser concessions.
But we're veering OT.
He doesn't want to pay to prop up all the lands claimed by "Novorossiya", & nor do his oligarch friends see any use for Ukrainian tank factories or the like. He'll be happy to see the rebel lands fester, & use them as a stick to beat Ukraine with when it won't come to heel. For that, what the rebels have now (with a little tidying up, e.g. getting the Ukrainians away from Donetsk airport) is plenty. He can use the rebel demand for all of the two oblasts as a threat, to get lesser concessions.
But we're veering OT.
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