> Regions require an article (der Kaukasus = the Caucasus) like in English and similar to Russian. This seems to be the crux of the matter: The Z brigades are

> Regions require an article (der Kaukasus = the Caucasus) like in English and similar to Russian. This seems to be the crux of the matter: The Z brigades are employing it so as to demote Ukraine from a nation to a region. (The purpose of that, in turn, being to answer the question "But if it's not a nation of its own, then what nation is it a region of?" with "Of Russia, of course".)