Are we going to pretend that imperialism only exists in this specific and convenient definition

They literally sent me Lenin, I'm abiding to Lenin's definition of imperialism on "Imperialism: higher stage of capitalism".

painstakingly taking effort to integrate and develop the regions that Ukraine and the collective west has been shelling for a decade?

Forgive me for not believing Putin's intent here is humanitarian development of western-liberalism-affected regions with Russian majority.

There is a clear difference between the imperialist warmongering of the western nations, and this war of defense by Russia

Yeah, NATO is objectively worse, there's no arguing that

a war to defend their country from being further encircled, threatened, and carved up

All of that is true. The former Warsaw pact has seen color revolution after color revolution (what a coincidence that similar protests like the Occupy Movement in the US or the 15M in Spain don't produce any results). That doesn't invalidate anything of what I'm saying, it's still warmongering between advanced capitalist states for geopolitical control. Forgive me for not praising Steven fucking Seagal for wanting to give his life for the well-being of Russian oligarchic companies.

and to protect the legitimate human rights of the indigenous Russo-Ukranians

Famous defender of human rights capitalist Russia, not at all constantly passing laws against minorities (whether women, queer, or national minorities like central-asians), and on a downwards spiral towards fascism (sadly like the rest of Europe).

Your last paragraph is a tirade calling me basically an eurolib and linking me to the Spanish empire (like, seriously, wtf) for not wanting to defend the modern Russian capitalist regime. Believe it or not, there are people on the left who don't critically support Russia for being 90% Hitler defending itself from the 99% Hitler that NATO is.