[Carry_Okie]

They also don’t want to rule over Western Ukraine, as they know they’re despised there (mainly due to Western soft-power propaganda, not that it matters now).

Maybe they remember what was done to the Kulaks back in the 1920s and 30s.

[BobL]

“Maybe they remember what was done to the Kulaks back in the 1920s and 30s.”

I agree, certainly the same for Poland and the Yappers (aka, Baltic States) - so what would Russia gain by trying to rule over them? I cannot think of anything other than keeping them from terrorizing the Russian homeland, and that’s a stretch.