Hello, Obligatory shilling. I wrote for the new edition of The Spectator World about the militant fringe of “incels” who peddle “the blackpill”. For The Daily Caller I wrote an outsider’s perspective on the USA. For First Things I considered different models of freedom in post-communist Europe
As to Ukraine, I suspect Putin is only interested in the eastern part of the country, where the majority speak Russian and by and large are ethnically Russian, and where a lot of Russia's military industrial complex is located, in the old coal mines in and around - and mostly under - Donbass. The rest of the country is rural agricultural land, where much wheat is grown, and tends to be a sink for, rather than source of, money. Ukraine was in terrible financial shape when they had their revolution seven or so years ago, mostly in Russian-owned debt. And the government was terribly corrupt, but these days, government is synonymous with "endemic corruption", even here in the US - perhaps even more so, here. Rocket engines used to be manufactured in Kiev, so if that's still the case, that place might well be of interest as well. A change in government might finally be an Endlösung for the Ukrainian Nazis, so there's that, and that might be a pain in the ass for Russian occupiers for years to come. Here's a map, draw your own conclusions - https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/KorzH0pwWI9GWFnJt4zYjkBRBqQ=/1440x0/smart/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/5QJNDNG3PA7NBJCVWZK33JOZHU.jpg
As to Ukraine, I suspect Putin is only interested in the eastern part of the country, where the majority speak Russian and by and large are ethnically Russian, and where a lot of Russia's military industrial complex is located, in the old coal mines in and around - and mostly under - Donbass. The rest of the country is rural agricultural land, where much wheat is grown, and tends to be a sink for, rather than source of, money. Ukraine was in terrible financial shape when they had their revolution seven or so years ago, mostly in Russian-owned debt. And the government was terribly corrupt, but these days, government is synonymous with "endemic corruption", even here in the US - perhaps even more so, here. Rocket engines used to be manufactured in Kiev, so if that's still the case, that place might well be of interest as well. A change in government might finally be an Endlösung for the Ukrainian Nazis, so there's that, and that might be a pain in the ass for Russian occupiers for years to come. Here's a map, draw your own conclusions - https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/KorzH0pwWI9GWFnJt4zYjkBRBqQ=/1440x0/smart/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/5QJNDNG3PA7NBJCVWZK33JOZHU.jpg