Yes Susan, the Big Lie form of debate, where the story is fantastical, but repeated so many times people accept it as truth. It is not at all to the spirit of the truth that all independent news in Russia has gone (some to operate out of Riga Latvia for a time)... The Russian government controls all the state media, and when the story changes, they say it is as it always has been. My friends in Ukraine are almost all ethnic Russian, but some are not. One thing they all have in common is they now, save one person, despise Russia and the annexation of Crimea, the Russian war in Donbass and what Russia has done to destroy their economy. They realize that Putin's goal is to make Ukraine a satellite of Russia in their new imperialism.
When I traveled in Ukraine, the people were friendly, and almost all welcomed more business with the west... At the time they wanted to retain economic trade with Russia. This is not so anymore. Putin has split families and destroyed countless lives...
The referendum was at the point of Russian guns, no pro Ukraine was permitted, no choice on the referendum allowed staying with Ukraine. The polls months early, showed only about 20% considered rejoining Russia, over 60% with varying disagreements with Kyiv, still wanted Ukrainian unity. The original 1992 referendum on Crimea could have allowed Crimea to be separate from Ukraine. But they voted to stay. The Russian led Crimean referendum was boycotted by large groups of Ukrainians and almost all tartars... It also showed 127% of Sevestopol voting to join with Russia. The president of Russia's human rights website accidentally published the real results, fortunately the Internet has a long memory. About 50% of the Crimeans voted (by number, large numbers of Russian soldiers and others were allowed to vote as well, which journalists have documented) of the 50% only 30% of the votes cast were to join Russia. So... Only 15% of the population of Crimea voted to join Russia, and among those were illegal votes from non-Ukrainian / non residents of Crimea.
Your referendum lost in facts, published on Putin's own website. But facts don't detour the fascists in Russia. Where incidently russia hosts more new-nazi groups than the paltry less than 1% of Ukraine's (who have a disproportionate 3% of control politically)... Putin sponsors them in Russia... The ultra nationalists are rising in Russia, just look to the rise of Stalinism, a figure once denounced by Putin, now gaining a new popularity driven by... Putin.
Regards Crimean history. 1783 it was taken by Russia. 1954 is was given to Ukraine. The transfer approved by Russia. Approved by the Soviet. Also in the Belavezha accord which is the basis for the legitimacy of Russia as it is today, and all the former now independent Soviet republics. Russia agreed in 1954, 1992, 1994, and Putin said publicly Russia had now desire to annex Crimea. All this documents Russia agreed Ceimea was part of Ukraine. Russia even promised to respect the boundary and territory of Ukraine, including Crimea, and to protect this borders as well. So for the 232 years since Russia took Crimea from the tartars, in 61 of those years and by the international communities reckoning as well, Crimea is Ukrainian.
Going back farther from the mid-10th century through the 13th century Kyivian-Rus controlled Crimea, only to lose it to the Golden Horde... Kyivian-Rus is the progenitor of Ukraine, not Russia, the Russian progenitor would be Muscovy. A smaller much more northern realm at the time.
History can bite you if you depend on it for justification.
Russia annexed Crimea. And the Crimean peninsula has rich oil and gas fields off shore. Russia is invading the Donbass, rich in coal, and new finds in oil and gas. The U.S. does not take new territory, they leave once their mission is over. There is zero proof of direct U.S. involvement in the Maidan demonstrations. There is evidence of GRU spetznaz in Kyiv, and in Crim, and the Donbass. Russia invaded Ukraine, and prior to that placed agent provocateurs in country with multiple IDs/passports, explosives, and weapons. The so called separatist leaders were all initially Russian officers, even journalists identified the first one in Crimea as a Russian officer though he wore a Ukrainian style uniform.
Putin "vacating" the Russian presidency would be the best thing for Russia. But not for Putin. The Russian economy is in decline since his escapades. Over 3 million new unemployed in Russia the first quarter of 2015. Putin claims that Russia needs the full 3 billion euros rather than the June 20 73 million euro payment because Russia is suffering financial hardships. Yet Putin leads Greece on with promises of loans... The policy is unsound. Russia is on shaky ground just from their own internally created crisis.
Exactly. The view from the inside is much different. I've a friend formerly from Moscow, and he views Russia's decline as inevitable. So much of your personal perceptions depend on the frame of reference you exist in.
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Can Putin Survive?
Yes Susan, the Big Lie form of debate, where the story is fantastical, but repeated so many times people accept it as truth. It is not at all to the spirit of the truth that all independent news in Russia has gone (some to operate out of Riga Latvia for a time)... The Russian government controls all the state media, and when the story changes, they say it is as it always has been. My friends in Ukraine are almost all ethnic Russian, but some are not. One thing they all have in common is they now, save one person, despise Russia and the annexation of Crimea, the Russian war in Donbass and what Russia has done to destroy their economy. They realize that Putin's goal is to make Ukraine a satellite of Russia in their new imperialism.
When I traveled in Ukraine, the people were friendly, and almost all welcomed more business with the west... At the time they wanted to retain economic trade with Russia. This is not so anymore. Putin has split families and destroyed countless lives...
Can Putin Survive?
The referendum was at the point of Russian guns, no pro Ukraine was permitted, no choice on the referendum allowed staying with Ukraine. The polls months early, showed only about 20% considered rejoining Russia, over 60% with varying disagreements with Kyiv, still wanted Ukrainian unity. The original 1992 referendum on Crimea could have allowed Crimea to be separate from Ukraine. But they voted to stay. The Russian led Crimean referendum was boycotted by large groups of Ukrainians and almost all tartars... It also showed 127% of Sevestopol voting to join with Russia. The president of Russia's human rights website accidentally published the real results, fortunately the Internet has a long memory. About 50% of the Crimeans voted (by number, large numbers of Russian soldiers and others were allowed to vote as well, which journalists have documented) of the 50% only 30% of the votes cast were to join Russia. So... Only 15% of the population of Crimea voted to join Russia, and among those were illegal votes from non-Ukrainian / non residents of Crimea.
Your referendum lost in facts, published on Putin's own website. But facts don't detour the fascists in Russia. Where incidently russia hosts more new-nazi groups than the paltry less than 1% of Ukraine's (who have a disproportionate 3% of control politically)... Putin sponsors them in Russia... The ultra nationalists are rising in Russia, just look to the rise of Stalinism, a figure once denounced by Putin, now gaining a new popularity driven by... Putin.
Can Putin Survive?
Regards Crimean history. 1783 it was taken by Russia. 1954 is was given to Ukraine. The transfer approved by Russia. Approved by the Soviet. Also in the Belavezha accord which is the basis for the legitimacy of Russia as it is today, and all the former now independent Soviet republics. Russia agreed in 1954, 1992, 1994, and Putin said publicly Russia had now desire to annex Crimea. All this documents Russia agreed Ceimea was part of Ukraine. Russia even promised to respect the boundary and territory of Ukraine, including Crimea, and to protect this borders as well. So for the 232 years since Russia took Crimea from the tartars, in 61 of those years and by the international communities reckoning as well, Crimea is Ukrainian.
Going back farther from the mid-10th century through the 13th century Kyivian-Rus controlled Crimea, only to lose it to the Golden Horde... Kyivian-Rus is the progenitor of Ukraine, not Russia, the Russian progenitor would be Muscovy. A smaller much more northern realm at the time.
History can bite you if you depend on it for justification.
Can Putin Survive?
Russia annexed Crimea. And the Crimean peninsula has rich oil and gas fields off shore. Russia is invading the Donbass, rich in coal, and new finds in oil and gas. The U.S. does not take new territory, they leave once their mission is over. There is zero proof of direct U.S. involvement in the Maidan demonstrations. There is evidence of GRU spetznaz in Kyiv, and in Crim, and the Donbass. Russia invaded Ukraine, and prior to that placed agent provocateurs in country with multiple IDs/passports, explosives, and weapons. The so called separatist leaders were all initially Russian officers, even journalists identified the first one in Crimea as a Russian officer though he wore a Ukrainian style uniform.
Putin "vacating" the Russian presidency would be the best thing for Russia. But not for Putin. The Russian economy is in decline since his escapades. Over 3 million new unemployed in Russia the first quarter of 2015. Putin claims that Russia needs the full 3 billion euros rather than the June 20 73 million euro payment because Russia is suffering financial hardships. Yet Putin leads Greece on with promises of loans... The policy is unsound. Russia is on shaky ground just from their own internally created crisis.
Can Putin Survive?
Exactly. The view from the inside is much different. I've a friend formerly from Moscow, and he views Russia's decline as inevitable. So much of your personal perceptions depend on the frame of reference you exist in.