Actually, they are welcoming the Russian forces, which are liberating them from the oppression of the nationalist militia. There are plenty of images of humanitarian goods being distributed to mass crowds in Melitopol, for example. The Ukrainian forces and militias are deliberately operating from otherwise protected locations: hospitals, kindergartens, schools, private residences. This is called using human shields and is an specified war crime. Russia has clean hands in engaging combatants. The Ukrainians have a positive obligation to keep their forces segregated from civilians, but they are failing to do this. The siege of Mariupol was broken when the Chechens finally got to the headquarters of the Azov battalion unit there, which was in a theater; the militia had been keeping civilians as hostages in the lobby. Or do you disagree with the Geneva Convention that human shields should not be allowed? The U.S. has never let that be a concern in the combat operations it has followed. We just shrug off "collateral damage" as "That's War."

Luhansk and Donetsk have been cleaned up and their respective armed forces have joined the Russian action, mainly by keeping order but also mopping up isolated units of the Ukrainian forces.

I gave no moral pass to China and you are a bare-faced liar to say so. I only said that prudence controls which fights we get into. Have you ever intervened to help someone in violent trouble? I have, twice. In the first occasion, I had to step in and interrupt a Mexican gang beating of an Anglo kid. In the second occasion, I had to intervene in an attempted rape. If you can't understand the limitations of one's physical ability, all the moral righteousness in the world will not prevent you from searching for your teeth in a puddle.

A "sovereign nation" fails to be one when it violates the precept that governments obtain their just powers from the consent of the governed. Any government that countenances genocide loses all legitimacy. It is no longer a government but a carnivorous predator.

P.S. Don't be too sure that what is presented as "Russian atrocities" have anything to do with the Russian forces. Ukraine has already promoted a number of outright lies (the nonexistent "Ghost of Kyiv," the bogus "Russian" tank that drove over a car [it was Ukrainian], the massacre of the garrison on Snake Island [all surrendered without harm]). They have presented repainted Ukrainian armored vehicles as being captured Russian vehicles. And they have presented the victims of Ukrainian fire as being Russian atrocities.