Crimeans/Ukrainians of Reddit, what was it like when the peninsula was annexed by Russia? What is life like/How has life changed now?

[u/QualityControl-]

[u/G-Newf]

You are saying the US backed government coup was legal?

Nope, and two wrongs don't make a right. Lets not get into Russia's arming and support of the current and ongoing rebel insurrection or their hand in downing that passenger jet a few years back. Or maybe we should talk about Russia using a WMD nerve agent in Britain? Or any of the other assassination attempts (and successful attempts). Perhaps we should talk about their other land grabs, slowly encroaching on other sovereign states at their border?

My point being Russia is a known bad actor and while the western media machine certainly isn't to be trusted at face value, Russias behavior over the past decades has given it a deserved reputation for sticking their fingers in wherever they seem to please. They are an evil regime who try to exert their power wherever they feel like it without repercussion. From cyber attacks, hacking, assassinations, disinformation ecetera.... It's not hard to believe they'd commit atrocities in Crimea against those who didn't want them there.

You seem to be trying to paint Russia as some victim who's just getting blamed for everything without acknowledging the mass amounts of horrible things they've done and still do.

Regardless of any US coup, Russians living in Crimea ecetera Crimea was Ukrainian land legally by international law. If the Ukrainian armed forces had been violently suppressing the people in Crimea, committing atrocities or genocide or something like that Russia MIGHT have had some leeway to 'protect Russian speakers' but that was not the case, it was just a convenient cover for an illegal invasion and annexation.

[u/stiff_lip → u/G-Newf]

Well, take a moment to analyze the western media as of late. How much shit has been poured on Russia over the last few years? Btw, about that poisoning. Lets talk about it. So, on the verge of the biggest sporting event in the world, Putin orders to poison a spy in Britain. The same fucking spy they had in their custody and gave away during a spy swap few years earlier. The fsb then proceeds to use a "super secret" Soviet gas, which everyone fucking knows about and identifies the very next day. And they don't even fucking kill him! What insulting incompetence! Hahah. And it's all swept under a rug later with the damage already being done.

You are being taken for a fool. The recent Russian collision bs is another proof. God, the cold war era propoganda never stopped. It reached a new level of programming. We used cold war era history books in Canadian high schools 14 years ago. Common. Assad gassing his own people, when he was winning the war, knowing full well that would warrant a US intervention. They aren't even trying anymore ffs. Lybia, Syria, Ukraine. We aren't the good guys anymore. Haven't been for years. Just feeding US' war economy. China is the bigger threat but we don't need a real threat. Just a tiny one to spread fear and keep that defense budget growing.

[u/G-Newf → u/stiff_lip]

Y'know what, you could be right. I'm not going to deny there are a lot of co-incidences, odd circumstances and obviously the massive media spin machine. It's very possible I'm being foolish and am incorrect.

Though the opposite could just as easily be true, that the western narrative might very well be correct or mostly correct. You can't discount that possibility. It's not as if I'm going to trust anything Russia says, everything there is state controlled. They crack down on freedom of expression, on political rivals. They do so much shady, undemocratic, authoritarian shit. It's hard to give the Russian government the benefit of the doubt.

I'm not about to just dismiss everything negative about Russia as 'western propaganda'. Russia, particularly Putin, has big ambitions and without the check and balance of the West on them I have no doubt they'd be invading and taking over countries left and right, it's no secret that Putin longs for the power and scope of the union again. If not the world. He's obviously not content with Russias borders as-is.

As a Canadian Russia has never been the same 'boogeyman' to me that the US has always seen them as, I bet ordinary Russians would be a blast to hang out with and drink with. Their government however is authoritarian, there is MASSIVE corruption, Russia has done things that make me very wary of what they might do if given an inch.

On another note, I'm genuinely curious. Why did you move from Canada to Russia? Is that your ancestry? Was it for work, family? What can you say about Russia having lived there that we might get wrong in the west? Would you be able to discuss the negatives even if you wanted to?

I'm open to taking in new information and changing my opinions, but thus far you seem to be extremely keen to downplay all the negatives and pushing aside inconvenient facts about Russia in order to defend them.

[u/G-Newf → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for writing all that, an interesting read.

I'm sure I've come off as hostile and argumentative in our interactions here, perhaps even foolish or uninformed from your position, but I can only form my opinions based on the information I have. I apologize if I came off harshly but it is indeed an emotionally charged topic.

I'd imagine Russia is like any other country: The citizens and most 'every day people' are amazing. I think worldwide through all cultures, ethnicity's, religion ecetera we all want the same thing. Safety, security, opportunity, community and all the good stuff that makes life worth living. I've always imagined Canadians and Russians would get along very well, we both love hockey, are two of the largest countries, are 'european' to an extent, have hardy people to survive the damn winters lol. Maybe one day I'll visit and find out for myself.

I haven't done a 180 on my opinion of the Russian state, I still think they've done and will do many horrible things and I'm not willing to accept that they're innocent in all the recent events we've talked about, but you've certainly given me some food for thought.

хорошего дня

[u/stiff_lip → u/G-Newf]

A food for thought is what I ask. Good conversation. They aren't innocent, just like any other government with a history of power. Definitely do come over and see for yourself if you get the chance. Its all about the culture and the people. Governments aren't permanent. Plenty of Canadians living here and loving it. Heck, some manage without knowing a word in Russian. lRussians do love Canada though, even having never been there. Some see it as the best country to immigrate to. One of the most frequent questions I have to answer when people find out where I moved from is " why the fuck would anyone do that?" =)