Originally Posted by
Recc
Worth pointing out to you again (as you seem to often forget), the direct Russian intervention in Ukraine began in August 2014 with the first deployment of regular Russian forces into eastern Ukraine. This happened because the Russian backed insurgency was incapable of holding ground against the Ukrainian army. Without the Russian invasion, there would be no war in Ukraine.
Could you source that, please.
It sounds very definitive, but is not in line with the only comments from international observers that I remember seeing. Those comments specifically noted an absence of Russian forces.
Afaik, this began as a popular insurgency, kicked off by sizable elements of the Ukraine army turning against the government which they deemed hostile to Russian speaking Ukraine..