I hope that you are right Durak for very personal reasons. I see it as home, but it is a complete disaster to Russia because as long as it is occupied, it will be contested and a money pit. Anyone investing there will have to understand that they are in fact conspirators with Putin.
I didn't realize, that you have a personal connection to Krim.
Unfortunately, I never made it there -- I planned to take a girl there a few years ago, but she called off the trip and I met her instead in her home city. I can't imagine going there now, while it is under illegal occupation!
Crimea certainly is and will continue to be a money pit. There is practically no advantage to Russia in holding Crimea. Russia can use its "territorial waters" claims to prevent Ukraine from using its rightful natural gas reserves, but probably Russia will never tap them -- and anyway, Russia hardly needs more gas.
In promoting Crimea as a Russian vacation destination, Russia is creating direct competition with its existing resorts. There is no net gain at all, but many costly losses.
I can't imagine a path by which Russia will let go of Crimea. If it ever happens, it probably won't be in my lifetime. Crimea may end up like the Turkish-occupied region of Cyprus; the Turks are still in control 40 years later. But the world has never recognized or accepted this occupation, and the Turkish-occupied zone seems to be something of a wasteland -- the territory has never recovered its pre-occupation condition. The world won't push Russia out of Crimea, but I hope that it will never legitimize Russia's crime.
Durak,,, it may not have anything to do with Russia needing Ukraine’s oil and gas fields,,,, but to prevent Ukraine from tapping them,,, keeping them almost 100% dependent on Russian gas.
The greater the need,,, the higher the price! It is also an incentive to,,,, join Eurasia or freeze!
The latest opinion poll, published by the Levada Center, put Putin’s approval rating at a stratospheric 87 percent. It also said that a record 66 percent of Russians think the country is now going in the right direction.
The only time Putin’s popularity level soared higher was in September 2008 just after Russia crushed Georgia’s military and accomplished a de facto annexation of two Georgian regions. A full 88 percent of Russians expressed approval of him at that time.
The pattern shows that Putin’s popularity climbs when he is leading Russia to expand its territory and power
And it is a crime for the mother of a dead Russian soldier to grieve in public. The polls reflect the ingrained need for self preservation from the last century. Free thinkers are made an example of and treated like Ronald McDonald.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday speaking with European Leaders in Milan, Italy denied all the allegations of Russian involvement in the Ukraine. Putin denies that he or any Russian instigated any of the Eastern Ukrainians to revolt against the government. Putin went on to say that Russia never sent any arms or troops to fight in the Ukraine. He still wants to say that any Russian troops were simply volunteers wanting to help the Russian speaking Ukrainians that were being harassed by Ukrainian troops. He said with a straight face that he was only helping those poor Crimean's who were living in fear from the troops from Western Ukraine.
All the leaders attending the conference were there to try and stop the fighting that has still been going on since the September 5th cease fire. Since the cease fire some 400 have died and most have been civilians. All of the European Union along with the United States know that Putin has been instigating this crisis from the very beginning. Putin has all along been trying to gain back lost ground from the old Soviet Union. He is all consumed in this mission and is now looking to the Baltic States. Putin has little time as he just turned 62 and time is not on his side.
Russia never OFFICIALLY sent any arms or troops to fight in the Ukraine. Well you are providing refuge to the former President, so based on logical deduction, you would support those who backed him in the past. Stop trying to use this "peace keeping" excuse nonsense. Send your peacekeepers to Syria where they are actually needed. Hey, you supposrt Assad? Remember that?????
I looked it up, it took some digging ... for a couple of weeks, somebody was posting here under the handle "stoptheinsanity," who accurately repeated all of the lies from the Kremlin.
On 12 April, I wrote, "That 'insanity' eats this crap, and pronounces it tasty, is pathetic. That millions of Russian-speakers in Ukraine have done the same, is tragic."
I'm glad you got some laughs, we need them in tragic times.
I don't know if this is true or some bogus bs,,, but it claims that a deal has been made to return Crimea to Ukraine?? I don't have time to check it out more.
The article was posted "in Humor", though I don't get the joke.
The actual news from Crimea is even less funny than that. Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported today that Crimea’s council of ministers has handed over several state-owned dachas, or country estates, as well as a nature reserve, health spas, children’s camps and a venerable winery to the Kremlin's property management department.