This is deliberately a no-frills post. I have been hesitant to take any definitive positions on the Ukraine/Russia war, aside from condemning all harm to civilians, including bombings and conscription. I am not an expert on the region. The information available is often dubious and contradictory. Propaganda and prejudice dominate all sides of the matter. Here is my loose understanding of the matter as it stands today, subject to revision as new information is found and confirmed.
When the Soviet Union collapsed, George Bush Sr. along with leaders from West Germany, Great Britain, etc. assured Russia that NATO would not encroach eastward beyond unified Germany. That promise was promptly broken. This has escalated tensions throughout the post-Soviet era.
As I understand it, the Revolution of Dignity was perceived as a US-backed coup by Russia and factions in Ukraine sympathetic to Russian interests. I would not be surprised if the US CIA were involved, but I don't know for a fact whether they were or not. Regardless of the source of that revolution, a significant portion of the Donetsk and Luhansk population in the Donbas region protested the new government and have effectively operated as pseudo-independent republics.
I don't know what to make of the accusations leveled by the various parties against one another. Is Ukraine infested by literal fascists? Evidence at least suggests some influences in some areas. Have the Donbas separatists been using terrorist tactics as part of their independence campaign for the past 8 years, or vice-versa? Is Russia targeting civilian population centers or military installations? Does Putin want to reunite ethnic Russian populations, or conquer more territory for a new empire? I really don't know, and the news reports are all suspect.
As a geriatric millennial, I remember the end of the Cold War and the entertainment media always portraying Russians as villains. I have long been accustomed to hearing Russia used as a scapegoat or a source of alleged threats, including a lot of claims about Russian interference in US elections and foreign affairs. As an anarchist, I do not acknowledge any government as "legitimate." However, I also try to understand the perspectives of competing nationalist interests. I tend to support secessionist movements as a potential step toward liberty to the individual level, so while I do not trust Russia, I lean toward supporting local autonomy and independence.
I don't trust US corporate media outlets. They have a terrible track record for false reports in the rush for sensationalist scoops, and being regime mouthpieces when it comes to political reporting. I wonder what is going unreported as they clamber over one another for all war, all the time to hold eyes on the screen. Social media is full of fake war footage and utter nonsense stories. AntiWar.com is skeptical of militarism, but I am concerned about the validity of some of their information sources. The Eastern Border podcast offers a decent on-the-ground perspective from Latvia, so I would suggest checking them out. If you have another good source to share, please comment!
Remember, the Russian government does not represent the Russian people, and persecution of Russians because of Putin is not rational or responsible. Don't attack immigrants and refugees!