[ought-six]

“Russia will do whatever is necessary to preserve Crimea as a part of Russia. Crimea is as much a part of Russia as is Moscow.”

Then you don’t know the history of Russia.

[kabar]

Yes, I do, which is why I made the statement. If you want a good primer on Ukraine, check out this article by Jack Matlock, our last ambassador to the Soviet Union. He is a career foreign service officer with extensive experience in the region. He is a voice of reason.

Ukraine: Tragedy of a Nation Divided

As for the Crimea, it is likely to be a de facto part of Russia for the foreseeable future, whether or not the West recognizes that as “legal.” For decades, the U.S. and most of its Western allies refused to recognize the incorporation of the three Baltic countries in the Soviet Union. This eventually was an important factor in their liberation. However, the Crimea is quite different in one key respect: most of its people, being Russian, prefer to be in Russia. In fact, one can argue that it is in the political interest of Ukrainian nationalists to have Crimea in Russia. Without the votes from Crimea, Viktor Yanukovich would never have been elected president.

Regardless of what you or I think, Putin believes Crimea is an intrinsic part of Russia. He said so in his July 2021 article ”On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians“