I don't think Russia has any reason to push beyond it, maybe the region south of the Dnipro but everything across the river is Ukrainian ethnicity and Ukrainian nationalist. It's not governable. They would be under a constant insurgency forever supplied by the west if they attempted it.
They aren't map painting. They will get what's viable to control and stop there, then aim to influence a neutral puppet regime in between them and nato.
I don't think Russia has any reason to push beyond it, maybe the region south of the Dnipro but everything across the river is Ukrainian ethnicity and Ukrainian nationalist. It's not governable. They would be under a constant insurgency forever supplied by the west if they attempted it.
They aren't map painting. They will get what's viable to control and stop there, then aim to influence a neutral puppet regime in between them and nato.
They've already legally annexed more than just the Donbass. I doubt they'll give up Kherson and Zaporozhye.
That's what I mean by south of the Dnipro, I think they will be on the table for negotiation though.