[Goose]

While Russia may want to incorporate Ukrainians into the Russian population, it must be remembered that there is still lots of racial prejudice in Russian society. Ukrainians will never be "equal" in the eyes of the ethnic Russians, and Ukrainians know that from hard experience. It is unlikely a forced absorption of Ukrainians into Russia will "work". Eventual genocide is a more probable outcome IMO. As a resident of the USA, one might wonder about why Ukrainians and Russians perceive themselves as "different", and how do they know what your background really is? Well, they do, as the lack of assimilation of the occupied Ukrainian territory shows.

Despite Russia's population problem, consider:
https://news.yahoo.com/hur-russia-mobili...35211.html

Putin is getting all the troops he needs. This is from a pro-Ukraine source which IMO means it is probably accurate. Nobody in western intelligence is disputing it AFAIK. This will keep the pressure on Ukraine for the foreseeable future. That is why Ukraine needs to take back the south in order to shorten the front and force Russia into offensive warfare everywhere else.  Offensive warfare is expensive (both men and money). Losing Crimea would be a big setback to Russia. Such an action would probably result in Russia re-thinking the war and possibly Putin's demise. Failing that, Ukraine doesn't have any reasonable options. The Russians will keep coming.

[Goose]

While Russia may want to incorporate Ukrainians into the Russian population, it must be remembered that there is still lots of racial prejudice in Russian society. Ukrainians will never be "equal" in the eyes of the ethnic Russians, and Ukrainians know that from hard experience. It is unlikely a forced absorption of Ukrainians into Russia will "work". Eventual genocide is a more probable outcome IMO. As a resident of the USA, one might wonder about why Ukrainians and Russians perceive themselves as "different", and how do they know what your background really is? Well, they do, as the lack of assimilation of the occupied Ukrainian territory shows.

Despite Russia's population problem, consider:
https://news.yahoo.com/hur-russia-mobili...35211.html

Putin is getting all the troops he needs. This is from a pro-Ukraine source which IMO means it is probably accurate. Nobody in western intelligence is disputing it AFAIK. This will keep the pressure on Ukraine for the foreseeable future. That is why Ukraine needs to take back the south in order to shorten the front and force Russia into offensive warfare everywhere else.  Offensive warfare is expensive (both men and money). Losing Crimea would be a big setback to Russia. Such an action would probably result in Russia re-thinking the war and possibly Putin's demise. Failing that, Ukraine doesn't have any reasonable options. The Russians will keep coming.