Vladimir Putin might be seen as an evil totalitarian in Washington, Paris and Berlin, but in Russia, support for the president is soaring. For Russia’s Komsomolskaya Pravda, columnist Israel Shamir praises Putin for the speedy annexation of Crimea, and explains why he has won over the hearts of a great majority of Russians, to say nothing of people around the world.
For Moskovskij Komsomolets, Israel Shamir, who as one of the more prominent Jews in the Russian media even throws in a Jewish anecdote for good measure, starts off this way:
The current generation of Russians never expected to see such a day – a day of Russian reunification with Crimea, a day of genuine triumph for Russia, and a day of personal triumph for Russia’s President Putin.
Gathered in St. Georges Hall, the president received a standing ovation when he announced Russia’s decision. A majority of Russian homes were also jubilant. Few Russians wouldn’t have felt enormous elation when right in front of their eyes, the map of Europe was changed.
And how could one not be elated? Crimea had returned home after 60 years (or 23, depending on how you count them) under someone else’s authority, which had resulted in the violent policy of Ukrainization – even during Soviet times, and much more so in the post-Soviet era. The result of the referendum was so convincing that even anti-Russian Western newspapers like The Guardian didn’t question its authenticity, which was demonstrated once again by the subsequent spontaneous celebration in Crimea.
Furthermore, ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars also voted for reunification. After all, Ukrainians in Crimea, as in the new Russia, are Russian speaking, and find it easier to be under Russian authority than under the rule of Galicia [a derisive term referring to the new Ukrainian government]. Crimean Tatars realized the impossibility of going against all of their neighbors – and Russia has offered them a package of concessions and privileges that they had never dreamed of before.
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