NPR: Surprisingly, Russia has vetoed a UN Security Council Resolution that would affirm Crimea's sovereignty and national borders. As a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia was the only vote against the resolution out of 13 (China abstained). On Sunday, a referendum will offer voters the choice to either join Russia or become more independent from the Ukraine. However, many fear that Crimea is not the only territory Putin is looking to reclaim. Countries like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan all have considerable ethnic Russian populations. Many post-Soviet states also have a strong Russian military presence with troops on the ground or training facilities. Also, many of these states have a considerable oil/gas reserves and are heavily dependent on trade with both Russia and China. Under the guise of rescuing Russians, Putin could make considerable waves in reclaiming territory throughout the post-USSR. Especially in poor areas like Moldova, the Russian government could use considerable power to shift policies in their favor. All in all, many are comparing the situation in Crimea to Hitler's occupation of the Sudetenland during WWII.
Emily Goodfellow
#PSC 222
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