Ukrainians and Tatars boycotted the referendum. And even if the status quo had been offered, very few voters would have chosen to stay with Ukraine. Of those who did choose the broader autonomy option, only 7% backed it.
Basically that means 9 out 10 ethnic Russian voters chose rejoining Russia, which is pretty impressive considering that ethnic Russians make up 60% of Crimean population. Anyway, I have no doubt this is the democratic desire, freely expressed, of most Crimeans.
“Ukrainians and Tatars boycotted the referendum.” “
If the reported election results were generally true as you falsely claim, it would be impossible for the Ukrainians and Tatars to have substantially “boycotted the referendum.” The numbers simply don’t add up that way. they make up about 35 percent of the population. If they boycotted the election, the turnout could not possibly have been more than 65 percent, yet the Russians are claiming a 79-80 percent turnout of the voters.
“And even if the status quo had been offered, very few voters would have chosen to stay with Ukraine.”
Your statement is false propaganda. In a previous election the Crimean vote in favor of independence and associating the Crimea with the Ukraine was 54 percent, which reflected the Russian demographic less a sizable percentage of enthnic Russians who wanted no part of Russia.
“Basically that means 9 out 10 ethnic Russian voters chose rejoining Russia, which is pretty impressive considering that ethnic Russians make up 60% of Crimean population.”
That statement os more false propaganda, given the fact that 9 out of 10 ethnic Russian voters would constitute no more than 52 percent of the total eligible voters, and with a total boycott by the Ukrainians and Tatars as you claimed occurred would constitute a turnout of no maore than 52 percent instead of the claimed 79-80 percent.
“Anyway, I have no doubt this is the democratic desire, freely expressed, of most Crimeans.”
Given your propensity to negligently broadcast Putin’s obscenely false propaganda with no regard for the reality of the numbers involved, it begs the question why anyone would be tempted to believe anything you have to say in the way of an opinion in support of such obvious disinformation.