Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has defended his country’s actions in Crimea.Speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council, Churkin celebrated the treaty signed on March 18 declaring Crimea part of Russia:“Yesterday was a historic event, the coming together of Crimean and Russian people who’ve been waiting for this for 60 years.
Using international law and a democratic procedure, without any external pressure, via democratic referendum, the Crimean people have realised their right to self-determination, which is enshrined in all United Nations charters and international acts,” Churkin said.NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: “The annexation of Crimea through a so-called referendum held at gunpoint is illegal and illegitimate and it undermines all efforts to find a peaceful solution.”
Putin in making the biggest mistake by taking Ukraine in the Russian Federation. For him its a soft conquest but financially it will cost on Russian economy.
yes, its a calculated risk though. Political brinksmanship vis-a-vis economic sactions