I think they need a little more time. Typically it takes more than year for Uncle Sam to render its vassal states total basket cases. But it´s getting there.
The situation in Ukraine is entirely different from what took place else where. Something like a massive hysteria is going on. People organizing choirs, churning out profanities such as "Putin Khuilo" and burning Russian flags, when the Russians largely ignore them. Anyone who opposes this is branded as an anti-nationalist, and sent to prison. Right now the hysteria is getting converted to schizophrenia.
You are not wrong there, but people start to question, especially now, when monthly payments for water and gas exceed the size of pensions and are close to the size of average salaries. There is no money left for food.
Still, from latest news, SBU opened a criminal case against two teachers, who were on practice at a school in Russia and took a picture with their Russian colleague, bearing St.George band. They are charged with espionage. Another case on the same grounds opened against the head of the Ukrainian Communist Party, who visited Russian Communist Party assembly.
Meanwhile in DNR, social services started paying out pensions after a 6-month long pause. Payments are now done in Russian roubles or Ukrainian hrivna, with people preferring roubles. Postmen deliver pensions even to those pensioners, who live in the regions that come under Ukro-bombardment.
And "Minsk-2"... Over the last 24 hours Ukrainian forces violated it 31 times. One shooting happened from artillery, 20 from mortars, the rest were armed provocations. The shooting happens largely around Shirokino and Donetsk. There are reports of more heavy weapons being pulled by Ukrainian Nazional guard. Even Merkel, after her today's meeting with Yats (who came to Berlin begging for moar €-coins) had the grace to say that she does not see Kiev making progress on Minsk-2 agreements.