Russian media are announcing a television interview with Putin, where he explains why he returned Crimea
Moscow - Simferopol, March 10 (PolitNavigator, Mikhail Stamm) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the return of Crimea was caused by the impossibility of abandoning the people living on the peninsula to the mercy of nationalists, they report "Vedomosti".
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The Rossiya 1 TV channel showed on Monday a fragment of the documentary film “Crimea. The path to the homeland." In it, Putin talks about how the decision to annex the peninsula was made.
“The situation in Ukraine developed in such a way that we were forced to begin work on returning Crimea to Russia, because we cannot abandon this territory and the people who live there to the mercy of fate, under the steamroller of nationalists,” the head of state said.
“It was the night from 22 to 23 (February). We finished around 7 am. And when we parted, I won’t hide it, I told all my colleagues (there were four of them): “The situation has developed in such a way in Ukraine that we are forced to begin work on returning Crimea to Russia, because we cannot abandon this territory and the people who they live there at the mercy of fate under the skating rink of nationalists,” Putin admitted.
He said that at the same time he “set certain tasks, said what and how we should do, but immediately emphasized that we will do this only if we are absolutely convinced that the people who live here want this.” in Crimea".
The first closed survey of Crimeans after the events on Maidan, conducted “outside the context of a possible annexation,” showed that three-quarters of the peninsula’s population approve of reunification with Russia. According to Putin, he realized that if we go for the annexation of Crimea, “then the level, or the number of those who would like this historical event to happen, will be much higher.”
“The ultimate goal,” according to the Russian president, was “not to seize Crimea, and not to some kind of annexation,” but “to give people the opportunity to express their opinion on how they want to live further.”
Putin noted that even then he believed this: if the Crimeans want to remain part of Ukraine, then “let it be,” but if they want to become part of Russia, then “we cannot abandon them.”
“We know the results of the referendum,” Putin concluded. “And we did what we had to do.” According to the results of the referendum on the status of Crimea, held on March 16, 2014, 96,77% of voters were in favor of the peninsula joining Russia. Turnout exceeded 83%.
Putin also spoke about Moscow’s participation in the operation to evacuate Viktor Yanukovych. “Our radio surveillance services essentially began tracking his motorcade,” and every time he contacted him by phone, they recorded his location.
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