Crimea

[bryant.coleman]

For Crimea, Secession Is Only as Good as Recognition

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/03/16/world/europe/for-crimea-secession-is-only-as-good-as-recognition.html?referrer=

[bryant.coleman]

Updated demographic stats for Crimea (including Sevastopol).

Total population, as of 01.04.2014 ==> 2,343,830
AR Crimea: 1,959,795
Sevastopol: 384,035

Total Births: 6,374 (1st Quarter 2014)
AR Crimea: 5,317
Sevastopol: 1,057

Total Deaths: 8,982 (1st Quarter 2014)
AR Crimea: 7,553
Sevastopol: 1,429

[newIndia]

At a glance

Politics: Officially an autonomous part of Ukraine, but seized by pro-Russian forces in 2014
Economics: Tourism and agriculture are its main earners
Population: 2 million - ethnic Russians 58%, Ukrainians 24%, Tatars 12%, other 6% (2001 census)
International: Russia has been accused of annexing the territory in a move seen as the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War

[Nemo1024]

At a glance

Politics: Officially an autonomous part of Ukraine, but seized by pro-Russian forces in 2014
Economics: Tourism and agriculture are its main earners
Population: 2 million - ethnic Russians 58%, Ukrainians 24%, Tatars 12%, other 6% (2001 census)
International: Russia has been accused of annexing the territory in a move seen as the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War

You forgot one minor detail in politics: Illegally (unconstitutionally) transferred to Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1954, part of Russia from 1783 to 1954 and from 2014 onwards.
Population: Sevastopol, which is a separate geopolitical unit has Russian population of over 90%. Crimea had a referendum on separation from Ukraine in 1993, but was coerced back.

Here is an infographics of the population:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D0%9D%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D0%9A%D1%80%D1%8B%D0%BC%D0%B0_%D0%B2_XVIII-XXI_%D0%B2%D0%B2..jpg?uselang=ru

Oh, and Crimea, by taking an early exit from Ukraine, prevented a possible massive ethnic cleansing of Russians on its territory, or at least revolts of the local population which would have been suppressed by NATO/Right Sector forces. Ukraine basically wrote off Sevastopol to become a NATO naval base. To put it into perspective, if NATO did establish a naval base in Sevastopol, it would have been a greater tragedy to the people of Sevastopol, Crimea, and Russia in general, than Pearl Harbour was for the Americans.

[bryant.coleman]

Meanwhile the Western media is still whining... 

Putin’s Singapore Dream Costs Crimea Banks and Burgers

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-22/putin-s-singapore-dream-costs-crimea-banks-and-burgers.html

[Balthazar]

Don't use "AR Crimea" when you are talking about modern republic. AR Crimea doesn't exist anymore, there is a Republic of Crimea since 11 March 2014. This difference is pretty significant because the RoC is a real parliamentary republic with a full set of all government institutions. In contrast, ARC had only an imitation of parliamentarism.

[Nemo1024]

Crimean mobile networks are to switch to Russian country code +7 by June. Crimea will also get 3G net.
http://vm.ru/news/2014/05/22/mobilnuyu-svyaz-v-krimu-skoro-nachnut-perevodit-na-rossijskie-nomera-k-iyunyu-249655.html

[bryant.coleman]

Putin: All-out civil war in Ukraine, Odessa-style tragedy averted in Crimea

http://rt.com/news/161036-crimea-odessa-putin-tragedy/

[Nemo1024]

So far Russia invested into Crimea 70 billion roubles to bring the region up to the same level as the other regions of RF:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/rolling_news/2014/05/140524_rn_crimea_spendings_medvedev.shtml

[bryant.coleman]

The Ukrainian military says, it fired warning shots on two Mil Mi-35 helicopters of the Russian Armed Forces, trying to cross from the Russian federal subject of Crimea into the Ukrainian province of Kherson.

[Nemo1024]

Medvedev is visiting Crimea today. Kiev called it for insolence and a provocation.
http://lenta.ru/news/2014/05/25/medvedev/
While honey-badger doesn't care.

[bryant.coleman]

The truth behind Crimea.....

Crimea: an EU-US-Exxon Screwup

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/05/23/crimea-an-eu-us-exxon-screwup

[Nemo1024]

Just a small footnote on RT today:
http://rt.com/news/line/2014-05-26/#62508

14:50
Kremlin ready for Ukraine lawsuit over Crimea – head of administration

The Kremlin is ready for Ukraine’s lawsuit over Crimea’s incorporation by Russia, ITAR-TASS quoted Sergey Ivanov, the head of the Kremlin administration, as saying on Monday. “We will be waiting for a lawsuit in this case” if Pyotr Poroshenko, who is leading in Ukraine’s Sunday presidential elections, is going to file it, Ivanov told journalists. He also said that Kiev owes Russia $3.5 billion for natural gas supplies.

I think Ukraine would need to start explaining how they got Crimea in the first place.

Just image:
Your honour, this man has illegally seized my car. Yes, it is true, I stole it from him 5 years ago, but during this time I have grown attached to it so much, that I now consider it to be my own and demand that it is returned to me!

[bryant.coleman]

Joker Poroshenko is trying to make Ukrainians laugh, at tough times.  (Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Crimea is part of Russia and will never be returned to Ukraine)

Poroshenko says will return Crimea to Ukraine

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/05/26/364280/i-will-get-crimea-back-poroshenko

[Balthazar]

Joker Poroshenko is trying to make Ukrainians laugh, at tough times.  (Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Crimea is part of Russia and will never be returned to Ukraine)

Poroshenko says will return Crimea to Ukraine

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/05/26/364280/i-will-get-crimea-back-poroshenko

elliot muchenje
May 26, 2014 9:29 PM
Poroshenko shd take the right dose of drugs if he wants Crimea back.

[bryant.coleman]

The first set of refugees from Slavyansk has arrived in the federal subject of Sevastopol (Crimean Federal District). A total of 6 people, including 3 women and 3 children reached the Russian territory after traveling in buses and trains.

[Nemo1024]

That's why Valtsman (aka Poroshenko) is so bent on getting Crimea:

Way beyond the established fact of an Atlantic push against Russian western borderlands, Ukraine remains a catfight of local oligarchies. No wonder the new Ukrainian president is also an oligarch; the 7th wealthiest citizen in the land, who owns not just a chocolate empire, but also automotive plants, a shipyard in Crimea and a TV channel. The only difference is that he’s a NATO oligarch

http://rt.com/op-edge/161664-elections-in-eu-ukraine/

[bryant.coleman]

Main winner of the European Parliament election 2014 in Poland (Congress of the New Right) welcomes the annexation Crimea by Russia and runs a highly xenophobic, anti-feminist campaign.

http://www.ecfr.eu/content/entry/commentary_ep_election_result_poland

[Nemo1024]

The former president of Ukraine, Kuchma, conceded that it's unreal that Crimea returns to Ukraine:
http://lenta.ru/news/2014/05/28/notreal/


New Russian budget airline Dobrolet charges $60 for Crimea flights
http://rt.com/business/161700-dobroilet-moscow-crimea-cheap/

The first flight is scheduled on June 11. The new airline plans to offer seats at least 15-20 percent lower than an average economy class fare with Aeroflot. Like many budget airlines extra services will come at a price, making the maximum fare $135, for the three hour flight.

Dobrolet was granted its operating certificate on May 19, and has available two Boeing 737 NG jets, each able to carry 189 passengers, and a single Russian built Sukhoi SSJ-100 Superjet.

[Nemo1024]

Who undermines the Budapest Memorandum on Ukraine?
http://rt.com/op-edge/162232-ukraine-budapest-memorandum-nuclear/

This is an Op-Edge on RT with Dr Alexander Yakovenko, Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Worth reading to dispel some misconceptions.


West attempts to diminish Russia’s role in WWII - DM
http://rt.com/politics/162020-west-russia-shoigu-war/

“Today, when the West is trying to diminish the heroism demonstrated by the Soviet people in times of the Great Patriotic War, we must be especially careful with our history in order to keep the priceless experience of our fathers and forefathers, and pass it to the younger generation,” Shoigu said at the opening of a conference on military history in Sevastopol, Crimea.

...

The conference opened by Shoigu was dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Crimea from Nazi forces. The minister said that the operation was a brilliant victory – while the Wehrmacht took 250 days to capture Sevastopol the Soviet Army liberated the whole peninsula in just 35 days.