Crimea still part of Ukraine: Britain

[Rapunzel]

http://www.nst.com.my/latest/crimea-still-part-of-ukraine-britain-1.519062

Crimea still part of Ukraine: Britain


LONDON: Britain on Monday said it was still treating Crimea as part of the Ukraine despite Sunday’s referendum which delivered a 96 per cent vote in favour of Russian rule on the peninsula.

In a statement issued after European Union foreign ministers met in Brussels, British Foreign Secretary William Hague stressed that “for the UK and her allies the Crimea remains part of Ukraine.”   

“We are witnessing a clear attempt to pave the way for the annexation of part of the sovereign territory of an independent European state, through military force and an illegal and illegitimate referendum,” he added.

“The UK calls again on Russia to enter into dialogue with Ukraine and with the international community to resolve this crisis.

“Continuing to ignore those calls will bring serious consequences for Russia,” he warned.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signalled he has no intention of  turning back on what he describes as his defence of ethnic Russians who —  according to Moscow — have come under increasing attack from Ukrainian  ultra-nationalists since last month’s ouster in Kiev of a pro-Kremlin regime by  a far more nationalist but Western-leaning team.

Hague earlier welcomed moves by the United States and the EU to target Putin’s inner circle with economic sanctions.

He called it “an important statement of European unity and resolve on this question, coinciding... with the measures taken by the United States.” --AFP

[Oceander]

Ok, so what are you going to do about it, seeing as how Russia and the Crimean leadership disagree with you?

[Scottftlc]

Well, at least it's nice to know that delusion isn't confined to only the U.S. Administration...

[SPQR]

I like to remind everyone that Great Britain won the Crimean War in 1856:

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Half a league, half a league,
   Half a league onward,
 All in the valley of Death,
   Rode the six hundred.
 'Forward, the Light Brigade!
 Charge for the guns' he said:
 Into the valley of Death
   Rode the six hundred.

 'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
 Was there a man dismay'd?
 Not tho' the soldiers knew
   Some one had blunder'd:
 Theirs not to make reply,
 Theirs not to reason why,
 Theirs but to do and die:
 Into the valley of Death
   Rode the six hundred.

 Cannon to right of them,
 Cannon to left of them,
 Cannon in front of them
   Volley'd and thunder'd;
 Storm'd at with shot and shell,
 Boldly they rode and well,
 Into the jaws of Death,
 Into the mouth of Hell
   Rode the six hundred.

 Flash'd all their sabres bare,
 Flash'd as they turned in air
 Sabring the gunners there,
 Charging an army while
   All the world wonder'd:
 Plunged in the battery-smoke
 Right thro' the line they broke;
 Cossack and Russian
 Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
 Shatter'd and sunder'd.
 Then they rode back, but not
 Not the six hundred.

 Cannon to right of them,
 Cannon to left of them,
 Cannon behind them
   Volley'd and thunder'd;
 Storm'd at with shot and shell,
 While horse and hero fell,
 They that had fought so well
 Came thro' the jaws of Death,
 Back from the mouth of Hell,
 All that was left of them,
   Left of six hundred.

 When can their glory fade?
 O the wild charge they made!
   All the world wonder'd.
 Honour the charge they made!
 Honour the Light Brigade,
   Noble six hundred!

During the Battle of Balaclava,of the 666 men known to have ridden in the charge (sources vary slightly),271 became casualties: 110 killed , 129 wounded, plus another 32 wounded and taken prisoner. It was a disaster for Great Britain at a strategic stand point. It was planned very poorly.