Originally Posted by
pr00ne
racedo, obgraham,
The good people of the Crimea, Ukraine, Georgia and the Baltic States most probably do not share your complacency.
Crimea - people there happy to be part of Russia, not a single poll since 2014 has shown otherwise including the ones carried out by Western media. People there never wished to be part of Ukraine and when they sought indepence in 1990's were threatened with military Invasion from Kiev. At a rough count 9% of Crimean population have left and incomers have increased population by 25%. People see no threat from Russia
Ukraine - real split between Western Ukraine who see themselves as European and Eastern Ukraine who see themselves as Russian, the Independence vote in 1990's showed a lack of entusiasm for being ruled by Kiev, they decided post Maidan to protest and were attacked by own Govt. Many in Eastern Ukraine have always seen themselves as Russian, nothing will have ever changed that. The population of Ukraine have voted with their feet as 2.5 million now live in Poland (Polish Govt stats) and another 3-4 million live across Europe since 2014, not counting those who went to Russia. Internal persecution of people's language rights be it Russian / Hungrarian / Polish has driven out many families who were a hodge podge of many backgrounds. Suggested population from census Million is 39 million reality is closes to 33 million or less. Eastern Ukraine do not want to be part of rest of Ukraine, you can let them decide their own future after a vote or can attack.
Georgia - again areas people by Russian emigres with loyalty to Moscow, local Govt wished control and they failed to consider who was safeguarding certain areas. Not the first to ignore a big neighbour or badly drawn borders like Nagorno-Karabak.
Baltic states - depends on the country by a number have completely disenfranchised anybody with a Russian background, irrespective of how long they have lived there, making them non citizens. i.e. Estonia where 30% of population have Russian roots and were refused citizenship. So who speaks for minorities ?
Of course there is a case for demanding people of the wrong Ethnic identity be forced out of a country where they have lived for centuries or frig the border to make it different. Perhaps closer to home that could come home to roost in Ireland or Scotland or elsewhere.
Seeing it from both sides doesn't mean you have to agree with any side but at least you understand a different viewpoint.