The Washington Post notes this map of protests and voting:
This reflects the presence of Russian-speaking people (including ethnic Russians) in the east and south, including Ukraine. "Russification" was an active policy in Soviet days. This is one result.
I didn't realize that the Russian element extended all the way to the Romanian border, I'll say.
I wonder if Russia would like the Russified parts without the headache of the pro-Western ethnic Ukrainian parts?
But perhaps that middle light blue area noting a smaller majority of Russian speakers wouldn't be solid enough for Russia to want that entire south and southwest area, outside of Crimea where Russia would like to retain naval bases.
