Jubilation in Crimea ahead of the vote

[Katzndogz]

Russian flags flood Crimean capital as thousands back takeover

Simferopol (Ukraine) (AFP) - Russian flags flooded Lenin Square in the centre of Crimea's capital Simferopol Sunday as thousands rallied in support of Moscow's takeover of the peninsula -- vastly overwhelming a smaller pro-Ukraine demonstration nearby.

"We don't want to be with those Ukrainian fascists any more," said Olga, who declined to give her surname.

A few kilometres (miles) away, a much smaller crowd of about 1,000 gathered for a more sombre demonstration in support of Crimea remaining within Ukraine.

 

[dr.d]

Damn fools...I wonder what they will say when Putin re-establishes Soviet style hegemony and a totalitarian regime...and their rights evaporate, including ability to speak out against their government.
The only path to freedom and true democracy is to the West...and that's the one Ukrainians choose to follow.


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[Katzndogz]

Western hegemony might be worse than Russian hegemony. Already the EU is demanding half the pensions of retirees

 

[Victory67]

Eh, let them be part of Russia.

 

[korean]

Long Live Crimea, Long Live Russia;
Death to new world orders ! Death to the traitors U.S. EU. UN. NATO !

 

[Ringel05]

It's interesting that just a short while back only 33% of Crimeans were pro Russia. Now that the Crimea is occupied by Russian troops...........

 

[Katzndogz]

It's interesting that just a short while back only 33% of Crimeans were pro Russia. Now that the Crimea is occupied by Russian troops...........

Do you have a link to your source? Ukrainians to my knowledge, have considered themselves Russians for 400 years. There wasn't all moonlight and roses in 1954 when Ukraine got their independence. As long as Ukraine got to be independent, as a partner with the Russian homeland, it wasn't a problem. When the EU decided to move in, it became a problem. This whole thing started with a trade agreement. A pro Russian majority elected a pro Russian president. That president evaluated competing trade agreements and decided that the Russian offer was more attractive.

In the United States if the president signs an agreement that even the majority doesn't like, there is no EU to send in paid agitators. We just have to suck it up (elections have consequences) and vote for someone else next time.

 

[Ringel05]

It's interesting that just a short while back only 33% of Crimeans were pro Russia. Now that the Crimea is occupied by Russian troops...........

Do you have a link to your source? Ukrainians to my knowledge, have considered themselves Russians for 400 years. There wasn't all moonlight and roses in 1954 when Ukraine got their independence. As long as Ukraine got to be independent, as a partner with the Russian homeland, it wasn't a problem. When the EU decided to move in, it became a problem. This whole thing started with a trade agreement. A pro Russian majority elected a pro Russian president. That president evaluated competing trade agreements and decided that the Russian offer was more attractive.

In the United States if the president signs an agreement that even the majority doesn't like, there is no EU to send in paid agitators. We just have to suck it up (elections have consequences) and vote for someone else next time.

I'd have to find it and it probably refers to the native Ukrainians, not the Russians who immigrated over the decades.
But a little history lesson:
When the reds toppled the Tzar the loyalists (mostly) all retreated to the Ukraine and raised an army to fight the reds, the "White" Russians lost. Stalin, in his program to collectivize Russia's bread basket (the Ukraine) starved and executed millions of Ukrainians which obviously turned the Ukrainians against Stalin and Russia. When the German army first drove the Soviets out of the Ukraine the Germans were welcomed as liberators and the Ukrainians offered to fight alongside the Germans. The were turned down as the Nazis were looking at them as subhuman and potential slave labor. Western Ukrainians (particularly) have seen themselves as Ukrainians first and Russian second and have no love for Putin and his brand of "politics".
Much of what we see today is the result of a large influx of Russians since the end of WWII into the Ukraine that are loyal to Russia, they are mostly located in the eastern parts of the country.
Russia will take/occupy those areas that they deem important to Russia and since the Ukraine has always been Russia's breadbasket, not to mention military bases that are strategic to Russia.......... Need I say more?

A few years back Russia's ultimate goal was to reabsorb Georgia and use the Ossetian situation as an excuse. They were stopped, with the Russians having very limited success, by a major show of force and stern warnings backed up by that show of force. Part of that show was the movement of Georgian troops fighting with us in Afghanistan back to Georgia and letting Russia know they would be facing battle hardened troops, it worked. That's not going to happen this time, Putin feels he has Obama and the west over a barrel.

 

[freedombecki]

Damn fools...I wonder what they will say when Putin re-establishes Soviet style hegemony and a totalitarian regime...and their rights evaporate, including ability to speak out against their government.
The only path to freedom and true democracy is to the West...and that's the one Ukrainians choose to follow.

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Maybe he will see to that both Crimeans and Russians will be granted free enterprise and say-so in a representative form of government. It's in the hands of the people, it seems, at this point.

Prayers up for equality, civil freedoms, democratic representation, peace and prosperity for all those living under Mother Russia's tutelage.

I was in awe of the restraint displayed by opposing factions in Crimea when the cameras were rolling last week. It had the look of being a bloodless incident, but it's hard to say when you're merely a viewer looking at pictures half a world away, so I'll have to hope my weak little prayers for peace will be granted so people there will not have to know the overwhelming sorrows of war and the loss of beloved friends and family that accompanies it.

Prayers up for reconciliation in the world.

 

[freedombecki]

Long Live Crimea, Long Live Russia;
Death to new world orders ! Death to the traitors U.S. EU. UN. NATO !

I'm sorry you have such a bad opinion of us, Korean. We have baseball fans who, like you, shout "kill the umpire!" We know they don't mean it, they just get caught up in team spirit.

*sigh*