there was no nbeed to protect ethnic russians it was all quite hwrmoniuous before 2014
and Eastern Ukraine was amjority ethnically Ukrainian and most of them have been forced out of their homes by this invasion and the insurgency previously
but don't be too sure that russia has 'won" - none of their stated objectives so far acheived
you talk about easdtern Ukraine ....yoiu forgot to mention the south -Kherson and Kharkiv ....russia attacked there so they could link to Crimea and have never attempted the slightest rationalisation or excuse for that
russia are attacking and attempting to add territory that does not belong to them and the west need to support Ukraine sufficietly that the invader can be thrown out ....or caused their (the russian ) economy to collapse
