I do not know who the idiot in the Western Military District was who ran the numbers on that Crimean referendum, but he just blew Russia's case for annexing the Crimea out of the water. 93% in favour with an apparent 75% turnout just do not add up. Add that to ballot box stuffing, Russians from the RF moving over to vote without Ukrainian citizenship, minors voting, an effective ban on pro-Ukrainian campaigning....Gah. I did not in any case expect this to be bullshit-free, but this is beyond ridiculous.

What's actually eating away at my conscience is how Russia now has lost every façade of legitimacy. Again, anyone with half a brain knows those numbers just do not add up. If Russia bothered to let something international and unbiased in and generally bothered to hold a proper referendum and enforced logical electoral laws (Adults living on the Crimea only voting to begin with) they'd probably still get a 55% majority. But most of all: They'd have a legitimate case. The west could no longer just look away and yell it's an unlawful referendum, but they'd have to accept a majority of the Crimea's residents want to accede to the Russian Federation. But no, they'd have to do this rushed piece of shit. Personally, I don't know what to think. I'm personally of the opinion that a majority does want to join Russia, but this was just a shitshow.