Outrageous: NATO demands Russia return Crimea to Ukraine against Crimea wishes

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NATO today released a strong statement from NATO HQ in Brussels, Belgium.

A Reuters report in the Moscow Times 10 minutes ago sets out that President Vladimir Putin inaugurated two new power stations in Crimea today after flying into the Black Sea peninsula to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the region from Ukraine.

by Micheal John | Editor

“The power stations,” says the report, “in the cities of Sevastopol and Simferopol, were partially launched last year, but Monday’s inauguration marked the moment they began working at full capacity. The same facilities were at the center of an international scandal after German engineering company Siemens said its power turbines had been installed at them without its knowledge and in violation of European Union sanctions. Russia denied that.”

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Feminine-Perspective:

The people of Crimea have since 1991 voted consistently in what can only be described as an overwhelming majority wishing to secede from the Ukraine and join Russia. The West is immoral in its pursuit for hurting the people of Crimea and Russia with economic warring.

If the constituents of Western nations were not continually told lies, constituents would not support the West’s efforts to hurt ordinary civilians and claims for increased military spending. The United States has nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries and territories outside its own nation already.

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Katie Alsop, a director of The RINJ Foundation, a global women’s group that generally opposes war and the posturing for war by patriarchal governments says that “our group is opposed to continued sanctions against Russia because the people of the state, the women and the children in particular, suffer the most.

“Moreover,” she added, “the West will never be able to attain normalized relations with Russia while sanctions are in place, thus the horrible nuclear arms race that is currently under way will continue to the detriment of the entire world.”

About Crimea, The RINJ Foundation has repeatedly gone on record to say that evidence supports statements by Russia that the annexation of Crimea may well have been done at the will of the people by a substantial majority and that moreover, there are strong historical and cultural arguments to support the annexation.

Furthermore the group having heard claims that both sides, Russia and the Ukraine are corrupt and “evil” dismisses one argument over the other and looks to the plebiscites of 1991 and 2014 and the current polls. The people of Crimea say they are best served by the current status quo.

Polling by the Razumkov Centre in 2008 found that 63.8% of Crimeans would like Crimea to secede from Ukraine and join Russia.

In a 1991 referendum 94.3% of Crimeans voted to leave Ukraine and become an independent republic nation in the USSR. That later translated to joining Russia as a self-governed region of Russia.

Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Marcin Platek / US Marine Corps

Photo Credit: US Army

The United Nations Development Programme polled Crimea repeatedly between 2009 and 2011 on the question of whether Crimeans would like Crimea to leave Ukraine and reunify with Russia.

Results of the United Nations Survey:

Would you like Crimea to leave Ukraine and reunify with Russia?

          Quarter |Yes |No |Undecided
2009| Q3[38] 70% |14% |16%
2009|Q4[38] 67%  |15% |18%
2010| Q1[39] 66%  |14% |20%
2010| Q2[39] 65%  |12% |23%
2010| Q3[39] 67%  |11% |22%
2010| Q4[39] 66%  |9%  |25%
2011| Q4[40] 65.6%|14.2% 20.2%

“That the West has an opinion about what Crimea does, is certainly allowed, but economic warring against the people of Russia and Crimea is not, in fact it is reprehensible that patriarchs continue to dream up excuses to increase military spending and further line the pockets of a small number of billionaires,” added Ms. Alsop.

Today’s Jingoistic Statement by the NATO Patriarch

NATO Statement in its entirety. “Five years ago, Russia used force against Ukraine to illegally and illegitimately annex Crimea. This violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a serious breach of international law and a major challenge to Euro-Atlantic security. We strongly condemn this act, which we do not and will not recognise. We call on Russia to return control of Crimea to Ukraine. We reiterate our full support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and territorial waters. Crimea is the territory of Ukraine. “Allies are deeply concerned by the human rights abuses and violations being carried out by the Russian de facto authorities in illegally annexed Crimea against Ukrainians, the Crimean Tatars, and members of other local communities. These violations include extrajudicial killings, abductions, enforced disappearances, violence, arbitrary detentions, arrest, and torture. Despite the 2017 Order of the International Court of Justice, the Mejlis, the Crimean Tatars’ self-governing body, remains under persecution and is banned in its homeland. “NATO calls on Russia to bring an immediate end to all violations and abuses in illegally annexed Crimea, to release Ukrainian political prisoners and hostages, and to grant international monitoring organisations access to Crimea. Any attempts to legitimise or normalise the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea must end, including the automatic imposition of Russian citizenship, forced population movements, conscription in the armed forces of the Russian Federation, and illegal holding of Russian election campaigns. “We condemn Russia’s ongoing and wide-ranging military build-up in Crimea, and are concerned by Russia’s efforts and stated plans for further military build-up in the Black Sea region. We also condemn Russia’s construction of the Kerch Strait bridge, which represents another violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is imposing additional hardship on Ukraine’s economy. Russia’s unjustified use of military force against Ukrainian ships and naval personnel near the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait in November 2018 is part of the larger pattern of Russian aggressive actions in the region. In line with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 73/194 from 17 December 2018, we call on Russia to unconditionally release the Ukrainian crew members it detained, to return the captured vessels and to comply with its international commitments by ensuring unhindered access to Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov and allowing freedom of navigation. “NATO’s response to address Russia’s illegal actions in Ukraine has been alongside and in support of an overall international effort, which has included sanctions. There can be no return to “business as usual” until there is a clear, constructive change in Russia’s actions that demonstrates compliance with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities.”