Originally Posted by
etudiant
The Ukraine civil war started with the revolt of the Russian speaking eastern segment of the country against the new post Maidan Kiev government's laws, which were perceived as damaging them.
That is simply ahistorical. The Russian state was present in Eastern Ukraine from the start. Initially they tried to raise an effective proxy army from the local inhabitants, and when that failed, they sent in Russian troops. There has never been a civil war in Ukraine.