Re: Biased much?
"I also take the view that "civilian populations" did not rise up, but that Russia paid or persuaded some bods...."
So, in your world, these folk at Kramatorsk, meeting Ukrainian army tanks and personnel carriers aren't unarmed civilian residents but highly trained Russian agents in disguise....
https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=971_1397679010
https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=2b5_1399121026
"I don't know what the civilian population really feel,..."
I have family in Donbas. The majority of the people in Donbas didn't like seeing the elected government replaced by hardline nationalists, aided and allied with far right parties and their private militias. The latter openly talk of cleansing Donbas and have largely been given free rein since Maidan.
"...but in my view accusations of attempted genocide and nazism by Ukraine are not accurate here, whereas accusations of manipulative power-play by Russia are."
Here's some video of this year's Victory Day memorial procession in Kiev - sure, no nazis in Ukraine:
https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=375_1494335335
Then there's the Austrian who was arrested in Poland as he tried to re-enter Ukraine - he is wanted in Austria for war crimes committed in Donetsk, whilst fighting for one of the far right volunteer units.