4o% of the population is either Ukrainian or Tatar. It would have been more like 90% if Stalin hadn’t ethnically cleansed the Tartars. Those Russians have only been there since the 1940’s. And Russia signed a treaty with Ukraine guaranteeing its borders. ukraine lived up to its end of the bargain by giving up its nuclear arsenal, and giving Russia the use of Sevastopol. The only real argument here is “ might makes right”. Seems lots of Putin a## kissers are okay with that.
Actually, the Russians have been there since the late 18th Century when Catherine overthrew the Crimean Tatar Khanate and made it part of Russia.
Actually, the whole country was under Russia as far back as the 18th century. Before that, it had been (for about 200 years) part of the Ottoman Empire.
I’m certainly no supporter of either Stalin or Putin, but there’s much more of a backstory than you say.
Also, there’s good reason not to trust the Tatars, who carried out slave raids in the Crimea as late as the mid-18th century. The (European) slaves were sold to the Turks.
Even as recently as yesterday, the loony Dagestan warlord came forward and offered his “services” to the Tatars in Crimea. So it’s a very complicated situation.