It's all Fake News bullshit. Everything they've said from day one has been misinformation. Russia withdrew from the Kharkov area to consolidate their defensive positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and the Kherson region. The Khakov area is unpopulated and nothing more than cow pastures and farms. With the limited number of soldiers that Russia was supplying, it was really a 1 to 3 ratio with Ukraine forces, it made sense to consolidate in the areas that were most important. They did this to secure the referendum. They succeeded and now Novrossiya has passed the referendum and President Putin has signed into law the acceptance of these regions into the Russian Federation.

Russia now is no longer limited by Russian law governing military special operations. No longer is the Russian government under these terms. From now on Russia is able to use the full weight of their military to end the hostilities Ukraine is committing against Russian territory. Russia now legally views Ukraine as attacking Russia and occupying Russian land.

In the coming weeks I suspect Russia to start their offensive against Ukraine. I'm also inclined to believe Odessa will come under Russian control and become part of the Russian Federation, as well. Ukraine will inevitably become an inland country. The question is how small of a landlocked nation will it become? Will it return to its 1654 size or some greater landlocked version that existed from 1654 to 1917. Certainly, the energy blockade being enacted against Russia will add to Russia's resolve to ending the hostilities in Ukraine and assuring a neutral Ukrainian state to which Russian oil and gas will flow once again.