Putin explained the reason for the annexation of the Crimea

Russian President made a speech ​​in the Kremlin today with a message to the Federal Assembly , which outlined his vision of events around the Crimea. He justified the actions of Moscow that Crimea is Russian native land and he does not want NATO fleet to be based in Sevastopol.

"If we had not done what we did, this is the way it would be," Putin said. He accused the political elite of Ukraine of ignoring the interests of millions of Russian in this country and human rights of the Crimeans. However, he did not explain how it was expressed, only expressing dissatisfaction that the role of the Russian language in several regions of Ukraine was belittled.

He promised that the rights of the Crimean Tatars will be guaranteed, as well as Ukrainians.

Referring to criticism of the West, he accused the U.S. and NATO of violation of the territorial integrity of Serbia, of interfering in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, Iraq , Libya, etc.

"If you can do this, why can we not?" he said.

In the speech Putin indicated that Moscow would not act the way it operates, if the West at the time did not act the same way.

He further promised that there will not be intervention on the territory of Ukraine, that he loves and respects the Ukrainians and the Russians which will live in peace. He also said that the vast majority of the Russians supports him.
Giving a legal assessment of the accession of the Crimea, Putin repeatedly stressed the right of peoples to self-determination, not mentioning the territorial integrity.

In his speech, the Russian president clearly expressed his resentment against the West, which did not consider him, and the Ukrainian authorities, which offended the Russian population and are very eager to lead Ukraine to the European Union and NATO.

In fact, the Russian president confirmed that the Kremlin's annexation of the Crimea is a revenge for Ukraine's rapprochement with NATO and the EU. -02B-