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In reply to the discussion: Even Russian human rights body finds Crimean referendum falsified [View all]newthinking
(3,982 posts)So yes, I agree that likely most of the other 17% would have tended towards another option and I think that Crimea blundered in the way the vote proceeded, just like what is happening in Kiev in May it will be forever questioned for this reason.
But in Crimea it is actually pretty clear to any objective eye that the vast majority, given their closeness to Russia, indeed would have been in favor of unification (of Russia) given the circumstances.
As someone with a deep interest and personal knowledge of Ukraine and Crimea, I was terribly dissappointed. But I blame what happened on Kiev and their integration with Right Sector and Svoboda, that changed the dynamics severely. Most Crimeans would not have believed in the overthrow, but I believe that it would have been at least a close call for a preference to autonomy if Kyiv had avoided the appearance that they were in bed with Neo-Nazi's.