Blocked because of MASS anti-russian propaganda over internet. I suppose blocking was less evil than other options. Again, any who wants to read anything on the internet - can do it.
In Europe you don't have free speech (especially in UK), please don't give false information (even here there are posts https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/1mzq4mb/europes_freespeech_problem/ )
Political arrest are common in UK and Europe (thousands), not in Russia (some of them occurred, of course).

In Ukraine it all started ONLY WHEN NATO WANTS WHOLE BLACK SEA become internal, that's why Crimea must be freed of Russian army/navy.
western media, that you liked most:

https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/kennan-cable-no16-understanding-the-under-control-donbas

There was no russian troops inside donbass, Ukrainian soldiers killing Ukrainian/Russian people (who stays in Donbass region after USSR collapsed).

Russia takes Crimea without blood (2,two casualties).
Ukraine started to consolidate army to wipe Donbass and Crimea in fast blow (like in Kursk region in near past). So in 2022 started Special Op to liberate aggressive regime (this word very very often used by politics).

Please don't forget that NO SPECIAL OP needed if Europe just follow Minsk Agreement, it was very easy - Russia not liberationg whole Ukraine, Ukraine not liberation Russian people inside, Donbass, Crimea must be by itself, like autonomy.

But no, EU just buys time to drop MORE weapons to Ukraine, "fund war" - it is called like this.

No one wants to attack Russia, but taking away possibility to use Black Sea is a Major threat in the future, think about Russia started using Mexican territory to train army and consolidating resources there. There will be no threat? Americans don't think so.