ALEXANDER LUKIN

It was true that the majority of the citizens of Crimea in 2014 preferred to be a part of Russia than the Ukraine. So the Russians sized the Crimea, had an election and when the vast majority of the Crimeans voted for Russian affiliation, they annexed the Crimea under the principle of self-determination. However, Russia has two of its states with Muslim majorities that prefer to affiliate with one of the majority Muslim nations in the area. But the hypocrisy of the Russians became clear when they would not allow those two states to have elections. The Russian policy seemed to be that whatever is part of Russia is non-negotiable and not subject to self-determination, but whatever borders on Russia that is not part of Russia is entitled to an expression of self-determination and independence of other affiliation if they want. The Crimea had the only warm water port in the Soviet Union; they had a deal with the Ukrainians that their navy could use the port. However, they felt that Western support for the new Ukrainian government was the first step in ousting Russia from that port.

When the former Soviet republics were in the Soviet Union, ethnic Russians were often against their will forced to the Republic so it can be Russified. These ethnic Russians had higher status with the Soviet government and the local people resented them for that and for trying to change their culture. With the breakup of the Soviet Union, many people took out their resentment on the ethnic Russians by various form of official and unofficial discrimination. For example, in 2014 when the Ukrainians revolted and ousted the pro-Russian President, the new legislature, as one of its first acts, banned the use of the Russian language on schools and in all official government forms and activities. Although the new President vetoed the ban and it never became law, the vast majority of the legislators would gladly discriminate against the ethnic Russians legally as well as socially and personally. The Russian government, decided to be the “protectors” of the ethnic Russians. This conveniently also gave them a “justification” of seizing and annexing the Crimea which had been part of Ukraine.

When the former Soviet republics were in the Soviet Union, ethnic Russians were often against their will forced to the Republic so it can be Russified. These ethnic Russians had higher status with the Soviet government and the local people resented them for that and for trying to change their culture. With the breakup of the Soviet Union, many people took out their resentment on the ethnic Russians by various form of official and unofficial discrimination. For example, in 2014 when the Ukrainians revolted and ousted the pro-Russian President, the new legislature, as one of its first acts, banned the use of the Russian language on schools and in all official government forms and activities. Although the new President vetoed the ban and it never became law, the vast majority of the legislators would gladly discriminate against the ethnic Russians legally as well as socially and personally. The Russian government, decided to be the “protectors” of the ethnic Russians. This conveniently also gave them a “justification” of seizing and annexing the Crimea which had been part of Ukraine.

It was true that the majority of the citizens of Crimea in 2014 preferred to be a part of Russia than the Ukraine. So the Russians sized the Crimea, had an election and when the vast majority of the Crimeans voted for Russian affiliation, they annexed the Crimea under the principle of self-determination. However, Russia has two of its states with Muslim majorities that prefer to affiliate with one of the majority Muslim nations in the area. But the hypocrisy of the Russians became clear when they would not allow those two states to have elections. The Russian policy seemed to be that whatever is part of Russia is non-negotiable and not subject to self-determination, but whatever borders on Russia that is not part of Russia is entitled to an expression of self-determination and independence of other affiliation if they want. The Crimea had the only warm water port in the Soviet Union; they had a deal with the Ukrainians that their navy could use the port. However, they felt that Western support for the new Ukrainian government was the first step in ousting Russia from that port.