If Ukrainian sovereignty mattered...Ukrainian men would still be volunteering to protect it. They aren't. They have 60,000 formal criminal cases against deserters alone. Western news media is reporting that 50-70%% of conscripts get killed/wounded before their first rotation....and of the survivors half of them abandon their posts after being on the receiving end of Russian artillery. The press gangs have to raid concerts and nightclubs and drag out the patrons to keep the front line supplied with fresh meat. Dudes aren't patriotically defending Ukrainian sovereignty anymore because they know staring down Russian artillery and air strikes indefinitely is a death sentence.

Americans and Western Europeans cheer for Ukrainian sovereignty, but seem disinterested in Ukrainian lives. I think the bulk of Ukrainian men would rather trade the Blue&Yellow for the Russian tri-color, and keep their balls/legs/arms attached.

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/39622

https://www.ft.com/content/b9396112-585a-4f7e-9628-13d500c99...