As I sit down to write Tass has not yet announced Putin's decision about Russia's recognization of the Donetsk and Luhansk republics, formerly Russian territory that the Soviet government attached to Ukraine.  However, as the decision of the Russian Security Council was unanimous, supported even by the pro-American Atlanticist Integrationist member, Putin will not go against the position of the Security Council.  Putin himself was of the same opinion as his statements and questions indicated.

Understand that this is not about reabsorbing Donbass into Russia like Crimea, but merely recognizing the republics as independent countries.

This will give the protection of international law to the republics, and Russia being a stickler for international law, unlike the West, will see that law defends the republics.

I listened to the one hour, 35 minute Security Council meeting during which the various members discussed their eight years of frustrations with negotiating with the US, NATO, EU that never went anywhere.  During these eight years many Donbass Russians were killed by Ukrainian forces which have succeeded in occupying some of the territory of the republics.