Top officials in the new “interim” government of the Ukraine are calling for the immediate expulsion of Russia’s Navy from the country, while officials accuse them of a “military invasion” of the Crimean peninsula.
Russia initially annexed Crimea in the late 18th century, and by 1804 had built a major naval base in Sevastopol. The base remains the home of Russia’s navy, and they have rights to the port until 2042.
Crimea has an ethnic Russian majority to this day, and many locals in Sevastopol say that if Russia’s Navy has no place in the Ukraine, neither do they. They want secession from the Ukraine and possibly a return to Russian control.
The Russian Duma is mulling the question of what to do if that happens now, and a bill has been proposed that would allow Russia to annex any neighboring territories that hold a referendum expressing support for joining the Russian federation.
Crimea already has the status of an autonomous region in the Ukraine, and its parliament has approved the idea of a referendum on secession. The interim government which took over the Ukraine after protests last week insists Crimea cannot be allowed to secede, and NATO nations have demanded the peninsula remain part of Ukraine.
Of course the western stooge Ukrainian government wants Russia out of Sevastopol. That is one of the primary US concerns regarding this regime change – depriving Russia of a military base. This is why the US is interested in Syria – to deprive Russia of its base in Tartus. The US government couldn't care less about the ordinary Syrian or Ukrainian people, other than when they serve as convenient propaganda tools.
Please don't call it a government.
It is a puppet regime installed by subversion, following the unlawful removal by force of the lawfully and freely and fairly elected government. (Yes, the Yanukovich govt was world-class corrupt, but that is a matter to be taken up at the next election, not an excuse for western-sponsored regime change.)
Secede? Well, why not.
This sure will revive the discussion of Kosovo's ethnic Serbian subregion.
Isn't it funny how Washington insisted on Kosovo having the right to secede from Serbia because it had a majority Albanian population, but then denies the majority-Serbian part of Kosovo the same right.
It is indeed important to remember that Sevastopol is the "de facto" home port of the Russian Mediterranean Fleet which is far more significant than "Black Sea Fleet". Tens of thousands Soviet soldiers died and many more were wounded to wrest the Crimea hence Sevastopol from the Nazi occupation. That must not be forgotten too.
Most Russians in Crimea are colonists, shipped in after Stalin ethnically cleansed the peninsula of the majority Tatars and virtually all other non-Russian ethnic groups (Greeks, Bulgarians, Ukrainians, etc.)after WWII. Historically, Crimea was hugely multi-ethnic. Even after being conquered by the Russian empire only a relatively few centuries ago, the Russian colonists didn't come in huge numbers until the Stalinist rapes. The full picture is important.
What will NATO do if Russia occupuys Crimea? We know the answer, don`t we? Nothing! The US has been pressing to get Ukraine into NATO for years but when it`s attacked, it does nothing! Is anyone surprised? Thus, one of the many aspects of Nuland`s monumental screw-up is to discredit NATO.
The demographics of Crimea have to a certain degree been determined through ethnic cleansing, primarily of Crimean Tartars after WWII. The natural population there probably doesn't want Russian influence.
Russia's only warm water port? They are going to just give it up? Seriously… who is putting these idiots up to this? If they actually want to work out a deal they better start negotiating with Putin and quit listening to Nuland. Do they not remember how that whole Orange Revolution worked out?
Crimean Autonomous Republic is the only one subject in Ukraine with wide rights. The rest are mere region. Autonomous Republic equivalents in the West are Ireland (GB), Corsica (Spain) and a few others. No right to secede, but the rights to have own economy decision making, trade, etc… Crimea, in all probability, would like to stay independent of both, Ukraine and Russia. High profit from tourism and renting the Navy base to Russia, full employment, and majority – Russians, with 12% Tartars, whom the President of Chehcnya personally convinced not to take the Ukrainian side. It would be a tremendous advantage to Crimea to stay independent under Russian protection.
What gives Nato nations the right to make any demands about the territory of Ukraine? It is not a member and Nato itself was responsible for carving up Serbia.
I’m sure the native population in the USA wouldn’t mind all of us crackers packing upand moving back to Europe. I don’t plan on moving though. Wow… some really stupid posts on this thread.
Northern Ireland is semi autonomous. Ireland is a separate country… well except for that whole EU thing. Freaking dummies keep believing centralized power is the answer to all life’s problems.