If Russia's claim to Crimea legitamate?

[Zioneer]

The referendum was rigged, Russian soldiers were sent in DURING THE VOTE, and moreover the Tartars (a significant minority group in Crimea) abstained from voting on it. Thus it is an illegitimate claim.

Now if everything had been done through the proper channels without Russian interference, then yes, it would be legitimate. I think that the Crimeans would easily vote to be part of Russia. But the means by which the referendum was done means that the claim that Crimea is now part of Russia is illegitimate.

[Zioneer]

But the means by which the referendum was done means that the claim that Crimea is now part of Russia is illegitimate.

No, no, the Crimea is very clearly part of Russia now and there's no particular point in denying that (unless you're a diplomat or something). But it was incorporated into the Russian state in a manner that is no longer regarded as entirely proper (even if it was historically just the way things were done), a fact not changed (not one bit) by the hilariously crass rubber stamping via questionable plebiscite.

That's mostly what I meant, yeah. I meant that despite it being part of Russia now and by all indications going to stay that way, it's not legitimately Russian. The tactics are illegal and unethical, even if the end result was plausible.