[QUOTE=Kljunas;44319295]That's true, but it still always seemed like the majority was pro-Russia (not a 97% majority though).[/QUOTE]
You cannot consider the population to be for or against when under military occupation. For all we know they could've shipped in Ethnic Russians to rig the vote, rig the polls, in the end it doesn't matter they would take it anyway.
[QUOTE=Keyblockor1;44323576]You cannot consider the population to be for or against when under military occupation. For all we know they could've shipped in Ethnic Russians to rig the vote, rig the polls, in the end it doesn't matter they would take it anyway.[/QUOTE]
Is there a chance Ukraine could have done the exact same thing when a large amount of Crimean's considered Ukraine's new government non-legitimate?
[QUOTE=Keyblockor1;44323576]You cannot consider the population to be for or against when under military occupation. For all we know they could've shipped in Ethnic Russians to rig the vote, rig the polls, in the end it doesn't matter they would take it anyway.[/QUOTE]
The area was generally pro-Russia before, that's what I mean. Of course the vote wasn't legit, that's why I said Russian sympathisers don't amount for 97% in reality.
[QUOTE=Mech Bgum;44319665]I think it's safe to say they were in minority tbh. It's pretty hard to shut down opinions of the large group of people nowadays. At our last president election, revealing information of all sorts was leaking everywhere 24/7.[/QUOTE]
On the other hand, Russia employed thousands of "Crimean Self-Defense Forces" and "Cossacks", including former Berkut members and Soviet-era Nationalists, and gave them full Law Enforcement powers. They also demonised the Ukrainian Government as illegitimate, fascist, and terrorist. These groups have proven to be more offensive to Ukrainians than the Russian Soldiers who invaded in the first place. Plus a large number of Ukrainians had already given up when Russia moved the Referendum forward; the Trains out of Crimea were booked to capacity (trains were the only civilian way out). They also turned off the internet and shut down all pro-Ukrainian radio and television stations and replaced them with pro-Russian counterparts. One activist joked that it was just like the last time they were occupied (1941-1944).
So actually, I could see them suppressing public opinion, even if it's the majority, which we won't know because they suppressed it so well.
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