Words from a Separatist Leader

[Photo Guy]

April 2015:
As for Russia, Zakharchenko said his region of about 2 million people would like nothing more than to unite with the mother ship. “We thought, still think and will think of ourselves as a part of the Soviet Union, of Russia,” he said.
from this article at Bloomberg News:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-15/gunfire-in-donetsk-republic-as-leader-refuses-unity-with-ukraine

Also:
Zakharchenko said Mariupol will eventually be part of his people’s republic.“We will liberate all our compatriots,” he said, adding that he had about 23,000 troops under his control and 30,000 reserves. “It’s easy to outflank it and they will surrender. Don’t forget, our mothers and our sisters live there, so don’t make us out to be bloodthirsty beasts.”
..What a humanitarian!!!   Does he have relatives in Odesa? Kyiv?
So it's obvious: choose freedom and democracy, or go back to the Soviet Union. ...duh!

[Photo Guy]

The reality- there are millions in Ukraine who would like to use the Russian language, and that includes in government functions. On the other hand, most Russian-speakers reject the idea of returning to a Soviet system, and reject the idea of living within Russia's orbit. I think that's the reality.