I live in Crimea, so I know some things about that Crimean referendum...

I live in Crimea, so I know some things about that Crimean referendum...

If it’s fine, could you actually tell us what are the things you know about? You can’t just say you know stuff and not say what are the things you know.

I was going to write more but some things happened (my work).
I live in Sevastopol. I didn't expect that referendum to happen. At that time there were some fights in Kiev, one of my favourite shopping centres was burnt, and the locals in Sevastopol were scared. Many people from my city did vote for becoming part of Russia. But of course, not everyone wanted that. I know that a few business owners left Crimea and moved to Lvov or Kiev after the referendum. I don't think or believe that more than 90% of the locals voted for Russia, frankly speaking. Many did, at least among those I know personally. But not everyone. And definitely not the Tatars. However, I had been told about the results of the referendum before it even happened. My former employer got that information from Kiev and shared it with me. (So I was lucky because I managed to withdraw all my money from all my bank accounts).
I think Crimea would have become part of Russia anyway. But some of the locals just made it easier.

As for Donbas, I have doubts about their referendums but I keep hearing absolutely different information from people who live/lived there.

Well, I have many doubts, and I don't like many things starting with the war... But I try not to talk about that anywhere. It is quite dangerous these days.

I was going to write more but some things happened (my work).
I live in Sevastopol. I didn't expect that referendum to happen. At that time there were some fights in Kiev, one of my favourite shopping centres was burnt, and the locals in Sevastopol were scared. Many people from my city did vote for becoming part of Russia. But of course, not everyone wanted that. I know that a few business owners left Crimea and moved to Lvov or Kiev after the referendum. I don't think or believe that more than 90% of the locals voted for Russia, frankly speaking. Many did, at least among those I know personally. But not everyone. And definitely not the Tatars. However, I had been told about the results of the referendum before it even happened. My former employer got that information from Kiev and shared it with me. (So I was lucky because I managed to withdraw all my money from all my bank accounts).
I think Crimea would have become part of Russia anyway. But some of the locals just made it easier.

As for Donbas, I have doubts about their referendums but I keep hearing absolutely different information from people who live/lived there.

Well, I have many doubts, and I don't like many things starting with the war... But I try not to talk about that anywhere. It is quite dangerous these days.

So your position is that while you didn't personally support joining Russia, many around you did and Russia could have legimitately won the referendum, although the claimed approval rate of 97% seems unrealistic?

By "I had been told about the results of the referendum before it even happened. My former employer got that information from Kiev and shared it with me" do you mean you just knew in advance that Russia would win? Or that you knew the % of population that supported Russia and the voter turnout rates with a small inaccuracy? The former doesn't sound very convincing.

Sorry if I'm asking too many questions. As an outsider there are too much conflicting information on both sides and would like to get information directly from people actually experiencing it.

Oh, I liked living in Ukraine. Ukraine had enough problems like many other Slavic countries but it was ok. As for Sevastopol, it has always been a Russian-speaking city (the Black Sea Fleet has been here for a long time), so maybe this is the reason why so many local people consider themselves Russian. I can't say in numbers how many people voted for joining Russia and I don't know how many people were against Russia. But 97%? Definitely no. Maybe 60%. It would be more believable. There are many retired people in Sevastopol and almost all of them are pro-Russian. And yes, there is too much conflicting information. For example, a guy I know said that people had been allowed to vote twice.
When Crimea became part of Russia, it got dangerous to question the results of the referendum. Some people here were aggressive. And there's an "anti-separatism" law in Russia.

My former boss had a booze party with a Ukrainian businessman in Kiev. That man told him that Russia would get Crimea and Privat-bank would leave the peninsula in 2 weeks. So my boss recommended withdrawing all the money from my cards and accounts. At that time it sounded unbelievable.

Even right now more than a few locals are happy they live in Russia (especially the elderly people). Some people sound like...zombies: Nazis, Victory Day, the USSR and so on. At the same time, not everyone supports or approves of the war. Many of us have friends and relatives in Ukraine. But those who disapprove have to be quiet for many reasons. Anyone can snitch on you. It has happened not only to celebrities but to ordinary people (teachers, for example) as well.

You can ask as many questions as you want)) My English friend told me about the upcoming war in December 2022. I didn't believe him. And I was wrong =(

Last question: You say that publically expressing disapproval of Russia's annexation or the war can be risky. Does this apply to surveys as well (i.e. if you received a call from a survey organization asking whether you support the war, would you be unwilling to say "no")? Or are survey's anonimity well protected so that you can answer truthfully?

Glory to Ukraine!

The the short length of wagner group's coup is quite dissapointing. If it lasted longer, Ukraine could have got massive tactical advantages.

[Disk4mat]

The the short length of wagner group's coup is quite dissapointing. If it lasted longer, Ukraine could have got massive tactical advantages.

It's still a very positive development, shows how weak Putin was, and by revealing this makes him even weaker.

[zaqqaz000]

It seems that Russia did not learn its lesson in Afghanistan when literally a rag tag group of rebels defeated and brought the mighty Empire to its knees.
This time they are fighting with a highly sophisticated and dedicated people with nearly the support of the whole world.
Russian will learn another bitter lesson.
Long live Ukraine

It seems that Russia did not learn its lesson in Afghanistan when literally a rag tag group of rebels defeated and brought the mighty Empire to its knees.
This time they are fighting with a highly sophisticated and dedicated people with nearly the support of the whole world.
Russian will learn another bitter lesson.
Long live Ukraine

You may be surprised, but Russia and Ukraine fought together in Afghanistan as part of the Soviet Union. And the last one who disgraced himself in Afghanistan was the United States.
I think my comment will be deleted

[zaqqaz000]

It seems that Russia did not learn its lesson in Afghanistan when literally a rag tag group of rebels defeated and brought the mighty Empire to its knees.
This time they are fighting with a highly sophisticated and dedicated people with nearly the support of the whole world.
Russian will learn another bitter lesson.
Long live Ukraine

You may be surprised, but Russia and Ukraine fought together in Afghanistan as part of the Soviet Union. And the last one who disgraced himself in Afghanistan was the United States.
I think my comment will be deleted

Pretty stupid comment on your part
Ukraine was part of the USSR at that time so how is that relevant??
Ukraine has not waged war on any nation after separating from USSR in 1991.

It seems that i did not learn any math or geography lesson in school when literally I say this:
This time they are fighting (blablabla) with nearly the support of the whole world.
I will learn another bitter lesson.
Long live propaganda

Speaking about pretty stupid comment:

17% of the countries with 11% of the population is your whole world. Not to mention which percent of the population of this 17% of the countries is with, against or totally indifferent.
This is what western propaganda and wokeness does to a person. They think that the small bubble in the safe space is the whole world. That their values and way of seeing things is the only way.
Sometimes the things are more complicated than a few slogans.
Sometimes the truth is harder to find.
Sometimes people are blind, biased or plain stupid.

Pretty stupid comment on your part
Ukraine was part of the USSR at that time so how is that relevant??
Ukraine has not waged war on any nation after separating from USSR in 1991.

I see you have a very superficial knowledge of history. Ukraine, together with NATO, waged war in Iraq, as well as in a number of other countries to a lesser extent.

[Disk4mat]

17% of the countries with 11% of the population is your whole world. Not to mention which percent of the population of this 17% of the countries is with, against or totally indifferent.
This is what western propaganda and wokeness does to a person. They think that the small bubble in the safe space is the whole world. That their values and way of seeing things is the only way.
Sometimes the things are more complicated than a few slogans.
Sometimes the truth is harder to find.
Sometimes people are blind, biased or plain stupid.

Your attempt at mocking zaqqaz000 and "seeking out the truth" is a regurgitation of Russian propaganda rather than reality. The argument goes that only "the West" supports Ukraine. It's Russia's attempt at claiming legitimacy for its criminal actions. Yet the reality is that the only countries that support Russia are: Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua and Syria. Beacons of democracy and civilization.

https://www.eeas.europa.eu/sites/defaul ... k=agvA6-in

In UN resolutions on the topic (there have been 5), 140+ countries vote against Russia, ~30 abstain, and only 4-6 vote for Russia. The vast majority of the world recognizes that Russia's actions are criminal and condemns them. The two numbers you quoted, 17% and 11%, are nonsense.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_General_Assembly_Resolution_ES-11/1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_General_Assembly_Resolution_ES-11/2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_General_Assembly_Resolution_ES-11/3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_General_Assembly_Resolution_ES-11/4
https://twitter.com/UN_News_Centre/status/1628858093072224256/photo/1