I am not saying Ukrainian civilians are "Russian-backed forces". I'm saying that Ukraine has been fighting a war against Russia and Russian-aided military forces in the Donbas, which is why the Ukrainians have been shooting in the Donbas. It is not an insurgency or ethnic cleansing. It makes no sense to say that civilians have died while ignoring the whole fact that there is a war in the Donbas.

You are also minimizing the rights of civilians by slandering the opposing side. Calling the government that was democratically elected in the May 2014 and October 2014 elections, a "Banderite regime", is minimizing the fact that Russia is fighting a war of conquest against the people of Ukraine, and committing genocide in the process.

Yanukovich wasn't overthrown by anyone, he fled to Russia after his security forces thought he was going to backstab them during the revolution.

The Ukrainian people are suing for peace. The problem is that every peace agreement proposed by Russia demands that Ukraine disarms, and that NATO countries are not allowed to give security guarantees. That opens the door for Russia to immediately violate the peace agreement like they have done dozens of times already since 2014.

What gives Russia the right to own the 5 oblasts, on what grounds should Ukraine cede them?

The first step to peace is an immediate ceasefire for both Russia and Ukraine. If Russia would agree to one of the countless ceasefire agreements that has been presented to them, then the war would end then and there. The US doesn't want to spend money fighting the war any longer. Ukraine cares more about NATO security guarantees than trying to reconquer Crimea. I agree with you there that the war is not popular. The goal should be de-escalation, not bombing Kyiv with drones, or nuclear saber-rattling with IRBMs like Oreshnik.

This is a leftist, anti-imperialist perspective. Any party in the European Left Alliance would agree with my assessment.