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In 1991 57% of Crimeans voted to be part of independent Ukraine.
In 2014 a sham referendum was held in which the population was intimidated into voting the “right way”. This after Crimea’s autonomous parliament had been hijacked at gunpoint and a highly dubious vote held on holding a referendum. It was theft pure and simple.
Since annexation roughly 800,000 Russians have been settled in Crimea to boost the Russian population and many Crimean tartars, who had returned under Ukrainian rule, have fled persecution. Many are now being forced into mobilisation.
There was never much enthusiasm, even in Sevastopol, to join up with Russia, but as in Donbas, Russia TV propaganda was working on the locals to whip up nationalist sentiment.
Ironically, had not Putin launched his disastrous invasion in 2014 Crimea would probably never have been threatened,
As it is, thus attack today is more about putting the squeeze on Russian forces further north, tho the symbolic and morale boosting effect for Ukraine is huge.