@chud @jeffcliff @BowsacNoodle @DW2 @leespringfield1903 @verita84 I can help you out there, chud bud. It all started because of oil and globo homo want for it. euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/ukraine-readies-giant-shale-gas-deal-with-shell/
The donbass situation was dire before 2014 even. Ukraine was using it as a coal-slave (Donbass has megatons of coal and barnett slanth), while not even repairing much of infrastructure.

So. What ended up happening was fun. US pulls 80s south-america revolt scenario just to get all the oil to themselves, otherwise gazprom would've taken lion share of development contract.

Russia, without much effort gets Donbass region to secede, practically showing US middle finger. Minsk agreements not upheld by Ukraine, with mortar fire against civilians over the years.

Right now - Ukraine war is practically over for globohomo precisely because - they cannot get that oil now. Not without nuclear war. But cutting off funding would be awful for public image. So it's lingering, and nobody actually expecting Ukraine to win.