Any nuance and complexity about cultural identities has been pissed on for convenience and therefore pro-Russian eastern Ukrainian civilians won't count as people. It is just ethnic Ukrainians being invaded solely by foreign ethnic Russians, as if it is Japan rolling into Norway, according to the narrative.
That's why almost everyone thinks 'just return Crimea to Ukraine' is actually the moral and humane thing to do. Would be like 'returning' the rest of Ireland to England at this point.
In saying that, it seems that the amount of Russian-speakers that are pro-Russia is far less than it was in 2014. Russians aren't getting much of a welcome outside controlled Donbas.
