It was a joint US/Ukraine provocation for sure. First, Ukraine’s nazification rule started with US coup in 2014, and US controlled IMF sabotaging/making Yanukovych’s EU trade deal impossible. US/west’s insincere participation in Russia’s peaceful attempt to deal with Ukrainian nazification and hostilities towards Russians, the Minsk accords, was an insincere delay tactic to arm Ukraine. The Apartheid laws against ethnic Russians, and US arming of nazi paramilitaries that killed over 5000 in Donbas since 2014. US’s open door NATO policy for Ukraine membership, and plans for missile bases there, together with ramp up of Donbas terrorism and no talks with Russia in early 2022, forced Russia’s SMO. The concerted western propaganda disrespecting Russia on its security is clear direct proof of evil intentions behind the provocation of the “desirable” war, named “a strategic US imperative (for it to continue indefinitely)” as well.