Some Territorial Disputes around the world.

If, after Hitler invaded Poland, he held a referendum in Poland and 96.77% of the population said they wanted to join Germany, you would think "oh yeah, this definitely isn't rigged."

These aren't comparable situations, Hitler was a dictator, Putin is not. Nazi Germany did not hold elections, whilst Putin has interfered in elections before, international watchdogs do not believe he did so in Crimea. Why you continue to believe something that the experts in the field don't agree with is beyond me.

And what about the population of Crimea that wants to stay in an actually democratic country?

so let's assume that of the 17% of the population that sat out the vote, the number of people that would have voted against the referendum was the same as it was in the 83% that did vote. 2.09% of the voters voted against joining Russia. A total of 31,997. 259,112 people sat out the election, 2.09% of 259,112 is 5415.4408. Which rounds to 5,415. 5,415 + 31,997 is 37,412. Ya know, on a peninsula of 2,284,000, I'm not all that bothered that 37,412 people have to leave their homes or put up with the desires of the other 2 FUCKING MILLION. What's the alternative? Anarchy. No state at all, or the even worse alternative, complete abdication of democracy, wherein elections can be held but if the globe doesn't agree with the results, the majority of voters don't get their way. And Putin isn't a dictator and any description of him as such is disingenuous, and you know that too but you're allowed to get your racist kicks out if you aim that at Russians so you do anyways.

Why is building an ethnostate somehow an excuse for an invasion anyway?

The Russian state and the Crimean people desire Russians to be under one state, why is it any of your concern whether or not it is morally right by your western eyes when the reality is its none of your concern. If Mexico and Southern California both agree that Southern California should be Mexico, it is none of your business if they invade the land to take it away from the imperialist opressors.

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