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One Year After Russia Annexed Crimea, Locals Prefer Moscow To Kiev
forbes ^ | 3/20/2015 | Kenneth Rapoza

Posted on 03/24/2015 1:34:31 PM PDT by Mount Athos

The U.S and European Union may want to save Crimeans from themselves. But the Crimeans are happy right where they are.

One year after the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula in the Black Sea, poll after poll shows that the locals there — be they Ukrainians, ethnic Russians or Tatars are mostly all in agreement: life with Russia is better than life with Ukraine.

Despite huge efforts on the part of Kiev, Brussels, Washington and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the bulk of humanity living on the Black Sea peninsula believe the referendum to secede from Ukraine was legit. At some point, the West will have to recognize Crimea’s right to self rule. Unless we are all to believe that the locals polled by Gallup and GfK were done so with FSB bogey men standing by with guns in their hands.

In June 2014, a Gallup poll with the Broadcasting Board of Governors asked Crimeans if the results in the March 16, 2014 referendum to secede reflected the views of the people. A total of 82.8% of Crimeans said yes. When broken down by ethnicity, 93.6% of ethnic Russians said they believed the vote to secede was legitimate, while 68.4% of Ukrainians felt so. Moreover, when asked if joining Russia will ultimately make life better for them and their family, 73.9% said yes while 5.5% said no.

In February 2015, a poll by German polling firm GfK revealed that attitudes have not changed. When asked “Do you endorse Russia’s annexation of Crimea?”, a total of 82% of the respondents answered “yes, definitely,” and another 11% answered “yes, for the most part.” Only 2% said they didn’t know, and another 2% said no. Three percent did not specify their position.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: putinsbuttboys

1 posted on 03/24/2015 1:34:31 PM PDT by Mount Athos
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To: Mount Athos; GeronL; Army Air Corps
One Year After Russia Annexed Crimea, Locals Prefer Moscow To Kiev

Or Else!

2 posted on 03/24/2015 1:39:37 PM PDT by KC_Lion (The Issue is Not The Issue, The Issue is The Revolution.)
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To: Mount Athos

Probably looking to avoid the Oligarch war thats breaking out in Ukraine.

http://www.vox.com/2015/3/23/8279397/kolomoisky-oligarch-ukraine-militia

Apparently a very rich man has his own private army and will use it to defend his wealth from Poroshenko


3 posted on 03/24/2015 1:40:12 PM PDT by Viennacon
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To: Mount Athos

They said the same thing when it was a Soviet gun pointed at their head.


4 posted on 03/24/2015 1:45:18 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: Mount Athos

Sure they do. Sure.


5 posted on 03/24/2015 1:45:54 PM PDT by GeronL (Nobody buys them i hope)
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To: Viennacon

Yeah, that’s it. /s


6 posted on 03/24/2015 1:46:40 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Viennacon

Russia is also run by oligarchs


7 posted on 03/24/2015 1:46:51 PM PDT by GeronL (Nobody buys them i hope)
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To: Viennacon

Sounds as if the “Oligarch’s War” is winding down a bit.

Kolomoisky agreed to relinquish his armed control of the Headquarters of UkrNafta, the State Oil Company (That Hunter Biden sits on the board of), in return for Poroshenko’s promise that the companies finances WOULD NOT BE INVESTIGATED...

“New” Ukraine still just as corrupt as the old Ukraine.


8 posted on 03/24/2015 1:50:42 PM PDT by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
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To: Mount Athos
I'm not well informed on this issue.

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but I have seen no reports of violence in Crimea.

That makes me think there must be some truth to the polls.

Plus, Forbes magazine, the news source, is pretty consistently Center-Right with its news, so I'd be surprised if they are 100% wrong on the facts.

Bottom Line - To a casually informed observer, Crimea looks like a lot better place to live than Ukraine.

9 posted on 03/24/2015 1:59:49 PM PDT by zeestephen
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To: Mount Athos
Considering the destructive “anti-terrorist” operations the Kiev junta has waged on other parts of eastern Ukraine the Crimeans probably feel quite lucky to be annexed to Russia.
10 posted on 03/24/2015 2:03:57 PM PDT by mac_truck ( Aide toi et dieu t aidera)
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To: tcrlaf

good move by Poroshenko. That was one headache he didnt need


11 posted on 03/24/2015 2:11:06 PM PDT by Viennacon
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To: Mount Athos

Some here on Freerepublic seem to only like Russian Oligarchs.


12 posted on 03/24/2015 2:40:14 PM PDT by lormand (Inside every liberal is a dung slinging monkey)
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To: Mount Athos

They took this same poll after the Ukraine was annexed by Germany and got the same results


13 posted on 03/24/2015 2:51:32 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici ( Better a conservative teabagger than a liberal teabagee)
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To: zeestephen

On the other hand, the poll might be skewed because the respondents are afraid of being dragged to the street and beaten. And the notion of someone in that area trusting a pollster is amusing.


14 posted on 03/24/2015 4:06:58 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: lormand

Couple of weeks ago, word went out to make the story about the Ukrainian oligarchs. So the Russians are back to blaming the Jews. Maybe the Nazi-thing wasn’t getting enough traction.


15 posted on 03/24/2015 4:10:44 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy; All

BREAKING-
EuroMaidanPDR is reporting that Poroshenko has fired Kolomoisky, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region following the Ukrnafta scandal.

Massive move. It could mean the end of the Junta, as well, if Kolomoisky and his Mercs decide to fight.

Looking for another source to confirm.


16 posted on 03/24/2015 6:08:48 PM PDT by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
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To: tcrlaf

Its a region that along with Kharkov, is overwhelmingly Russian speaking and part of historic Novorossiya.


17 posted on 03/25/2015 2:14:06 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop; All

Poroshenko this morning:

“Cynical Banderites, armed thugs in military fatigues have been robbing,cowardly murdering Ukrainians”

WOW....
Poro about to go after the Nazi’s.
Grab your popcorn, this could be fun!!!


18 posted on 03/25/2015 9:19:28 AM PDT by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
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