Quote Originally Posted by Sarmatian View Post
You're taking a part of a larger speech and fixating on it, completely ignoring the rest where it is more clearly explained. In this case, Putin explained that he set certain tasks and outlined what needs to be done in case people who live in Crimea want it themselves.

This explanation was in case that you b) weren't fully aware of it. In case of a) you're doing it on purpose, there's not much I can do.
This is weaseling out, the same as with "Russian soldiers' backs". We heard Putin say crystall clear about his 7 a.m. decision. It means that he has been brooding on it for quite a time. Or do you think he had this idea at 6.59? It makes me laugh when you claim that Putin was ready to start annexation ONLY IF THE PEOPLE OF THE CRIMEA WANTED IT. This is what I agree with:
https://russianavos.wordpress.com/20...mea-admission/
Note the words of Girkin when he claimed that:
1. He was in the Crimea as early as February 21. Judging from what he has been doing in Slovyansk (where he by his another admission tried to emulate his Crimea blitzkrieg) he was there not to renovate antique bronze vessels. Evidently he was on a particular mission and as he was there on February 21, all Putin's babblings about asking what the Crimeans think are ridiculous.
2. He literally "goaded" Crimean deputies in to vote neccessary ordinances. A good way to discover what the Crimeans think.
Thus, Putin was bent on annexation long before the morning of 23. But even if he decided on it then, Yanukovych was still the president. Rescuing the president with one hand and starting the annexation with another hand is what Putin was doing. And then he (in the movie) confirmed it and Girkin's evidence corroborated it.

Quote Originally Posted by Sarmatian View Post
I understand that it is difficult to create nation after you've created a state, but venerating Nazi collaborators and henchmen is never a good way to start.
As I have said, at Nurnberg trial UPA was never mentioned as a collaborator.
But even if it had been one, EVERYBODY (starting from Western nations in Munich 1938 and including Soviet army dividing Poland with the Gemany and celebrating it with the Brest parade in 1939) was a collaborator. Why then should we venerate Great Britain and the USSR (now succedded by Russia) as winners? Everyone had his hands dirty in the war.