Mostly a very good article, especially as a primer for western leftists to understand the anti-imperialist nature of the struggle Russia is waging in Ukraine.

Only major gripe i have with it is that the author thinks the status of the Kherson and Zaporozhie regions can still go either way and proposes their status be decided in negotiations or referenda. What the author does not understand is that their status is already definitively settled as far as Russia is concerned. Referenda have already been held, they have been admitted into the Russian federation and written into the Russian constitution. This is permanent. The only additional referenda that may happen will be in other Ukrainian regions that may be liberated in the course of the SMO and may choose join Russia as well.

Additionally it must be understood that due to past experiences with Ukraine cutting off the water supply to Crimea, Russia will never again give up this land bridge that is essential to preventing the peninsula from being effectively cut off and besieged.