If I connect the dots, adding all of Ukraine's actions before and after the start of the war, the following picture is emerging strongly: the active depopulation (and especially the de-russification) of East Ukraine. All things added, I think it would be fair to speak of a (near) genocide. One, we in the West, are making ourselves complicit.

The why is rather straightforward.

- the crony (and corrupt) capitalist unobstructed access to the resource-rich spoils in the East. (and by hurting Russia, someday also there too).

The how has been recorded.

- The UN pre-war reports describe clearly the terror inflicted by the various neo-nazi affiliated militias. Unobstructed and often even actively supported by the Ukrainian government.

- the systematic refusal by the Ukrainian government to uphold the Minsk agreement.

- Ukraine's refusal to seek any form of peace for the region before and after the invasion by Russia. Even though many parties offered to negotiate (the Vatican, France, Turkey, Israel, China, the African Union, etc)

- the consequent complete eradication of more and more Eastern Ukrainian cities. Add to that all the mines placed and all the radioactive depleted uranium (Western ) ammunition scattered all over the countryside and towns, making any comeback of the rural population very difficult.

- and now the bombing of the dam, flooding pro-Russian towns and villages.

- the next logical Ukrainian move, my guess will be, is to damage the nuclear reactor to get a vast area badly contaminated. (as the mines and wells etc can be operated by machines using well-protected skeleton crews.)