What they do not tell you; the regions that Putin is fighting to control have voted to become a part of Russia. Russia has accepted their application. Legally, Putin cannot negotiate away the breakaway regions because they requested to be a part of Russia, and the request was accepted.
Russia has a hypersonic missile that leaves the atmosphere on a typical ICBM. When it separates it becomes hypersonic, with tenacles that generate almost as much heat as the sun. Whatever was there is simply gone, completely.
When Ukraine left the USSR they had an economy the size of France. They stole it all.
I have uploaded a non-political summary of the war; The Sanchez Effect. You can also hear the American former Military person, Stanslov Krapivnik – breaking it all down on RT. The problem with RT is that America does not like them. They may or may not be available in your area. Our government favors us never knowing the truth.
Sanchez Effect: podcast (file size adjusted down)
President Putin does actually have a mandate. However, it must be noted that his mandate was not among his stated reasons for war, so…
[if Putin takes Odessa, back – Ukraine will be land-locked]