Changes

==Crimean Spring==

==Crimean Spring==

{{See also|Crimean Annexation}}

{{See also|Crimean Annexation}}

The NATO organization was founded on the solitary premise of collective security to [[Containment|contain Soviet expansion in Europe]]. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992, many questioned the need for it's continued existence against an enemy that no longer existed. Several former Soviet satellite states (East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania, the Czech and Slovak Republics) as well as newly independent former Soviet Republics (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia and Ukraine) wanted EU membership, which of coarse would ultimately mean NATO membership, as well (military alliances exist to protect economic alliances). Russia under [[Boris Yeltsin]] wanted EU and NATO membership. The NATO powers that be made clear they had no interest in going out of business, and Russia argued how unfair it was that they should dissolve their defense alliance (the [[Warsaw Pact]]) and be thrust into another arms race against a growing NATO, which was swallowing up many of Russia's former military allies.

The NATO organization was founded on the solitary premise of collective security to [[Containment|contain Soviet expansion in Europe]]. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992, many questioned the need for it's continued existence against an enemy that no longer existed. Several former Soviet satellite states (East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Romania, the Czech and Slovak Republics) as well as newly independent former Soviet Republics (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia and Ukraine) wanted EU membership, which of coarse would ultimately mean NATO membership, as well (military alliances exist to protect economic alliances). Russia under [[Boris Yeltsin]] wanted EU and NATO membership. The NATO powers that be made clear they had no interest in going out of business, and Russia argued how unfair it was that they should dissolve their defense alliance (the [[Warsaw Pact]]) and be thrust into another arms race against a growing NATO, which was swallowing up many of Russia's former military allies.

Since the [[Battle of Stalingrad]] in 1942 it should be clear to anyone,<ref>https://youtu.be/RC4fE6sm4r8</ref> Russia will never allow an aggressive and hostile military force, such as NATO transformed itself into in the Obama era, to ally itself or encamp within the Ukraine.

Since the [[Battle of Stalingrad]] in 1942 it should be clear to anyone,<ref>https://youtu.be/RC4fE6sm4r8</ref> Russia will never allow an aggressive and hostile military force, such as NATO transformed itself into in the Obama era, to ally itself or encamp within the Ukraine.

[[File:Crimea Referendum.PNG|right|350px|thumb|Billboard advertising the March 16, 2014 Crimean referendum to apply for admission to the Russian Federation.]]

[[File:Crimea Referendum.PNG|left|350px|thumb|Billboard advertising the March 16, 2014 Crimean referendum to apply for admission to the Russian Federation.]]

On February 27, 2014, Russian soldiers landed in [[Crimea]].<ref>https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/02/27/283481587/crimea-a-gift-to-ukraine-becomes-a-political-flash-point</ref>  Because some of the people currently living in Crimea are ethinic Russians, there was a dispute whether Crimea belongs to Ukraine or to Russia.<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-warns-russia-over-military-moves-crimea</ref>  On March 11, 2014, Crimea declared its independence from Ukraine.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2578160/Ukraines-fugitive-president-blasts-bandit-regime-says-country-heading-civil-war.html</ref>  The Crimean Peninsula—82% of whose households speak Russian, and only 2% mainly Ukrainian—held a plebiscite on March 16, 2014, on whether or not they should join Russia, or remain under the new Ukrainian government. The Pro-Russia camp won with 95% of the vote. The UN General Assembly, led by the US, voted to ignore the referendum results on the grounds that it was contrary to Ukraine's constitution. This same constitution had been set aside to oust [[President Yanukovych]] a month earlier.<ref>https://fair.org/home/what-you-should-really-know-about-ukraine/</ref>   

On February 27, 2014, Russian soldiers landed in [[Crimea]].<ref>https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/02/27/283481587/crimea-a-gift-to-ukraine-becomes-a-political-flash-point</ref>  Because some of the people currently living in Crimea are ethinic Russians, there was a dispute whether Crimea belongs to Ukraine or to Russia.<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-warns-russia-over-military-moves-crimea</ref>  On March 11, 2014, Crimea declared its independence from Ukraine.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2578160/Ukraines-fugitive-president-blasts-bandit-regime-says-country-heading-civil-war.html</ref>  The Crimean Peninsula—82% of whose households speak Russian, and only 2% mainly Ukrainian—held a plebiscite on March 16, 2014, on whether or not they should join Russia, or remain under the new Ukrainian government. The Pro-Russia camp won with 95% of the vote. The UN General Assembly, led by the US, voted to ignore the referendum results on the grounds that it was contrary to Ukraine's constitution. This same constitution had been set aside to oust [[President Yanukovych]] a month earlier.<ref>https://fair.org/home/what-you-should-really-know-about-ukraine/</ref>