Russia has a bunch more ports on Black Sea. However Sevastopol is an old, established base of Black Sea Fleet, with several convenient bays with controlled access. Compare to Novorossiysk that is open to the world and is not very good as a military base.
and is not going any further.
It is quite possible that more Ukrainian territories will want to join Russia. Maybe not today, but in a year or two, when the favorable economic conditions (that will be provided to Crimea) become very, very attractive. Today, though, the public opinion in Eastern Ukraine is not yet ready to join Russia, and no moves will be made to that end.
But regardless of what provinces are affected, it will be all done through a public vote, like today's referendum in Crimea. It will be perfectly democratic, and nobody will be able to object to that. Well, some do, but what kind of selective democracy do they preach? Don't the people have freedom of association? They are not slaves of Kievan boyars, you know...
Remember also, Russia has a Naval base in Syria, and with that country in chaos, the importance of the Black Sea is magnified.....and I still suspect they will ultimately make a play for a base in Cyprus.
Yes indeed, they do, and two weeks ago there was an election in North Korea where THE candidate Kim Jong Un received 100% votes, and to which information you will predictably respond with a "that's different"!
Have you been there, btw? The climate and food are beyond compare...sorry, reminiscing...I need to take a vacation that direction again soon.
But regardless of what provinces are affected, it will be all done through a public vote, like today’s referendum in Crimea. It will be perfectly democratic, and nobody will be able to object to that. Well, some do, but what kind of selective democracy do they preach? Don’t the people have freedom of association? They are not slaves of Kievan boyars, you know...
What exactly is “democratic” about two yes options and no no option. All under the barrel of the gun. Are you blind or a code pinko?
Russia is mostly a third world dung hole. Ukrainians outside of the eastern part of the country will never freely choose the squat toilets of Russia over EU membership. Never. Putin knows that and that is why we got retro Russian “democracy” circa 1940 today.