Putin Says Crimea Annexation Was Not Planned

MOSCOW, April 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia did not plan the annexation or any military activities in Crimea, the Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"Russia never planned any annexation or any military activities in Crimea, never. At the contrary, we wanted to build our relations with Ukraine regarding the current geopolitical reality. But we always thought and hoped that our people, Russians, and russian speaking Ukrainians will live in comfortable for them conditions together," Putin said.

Following the regime change in Ukraine in February, Crimea refused to recognize the legitimacy of the new authorities and held a referendum that resulted in its reunification with Russia.

The West consistently blamed Russia for violating Ukraine's territorial integrity and called the referendum illegitimate. The Russian Foreign Ministry insists the vote fully complied with international law and the UN Charter and genuinely reflected the free will of Crimean citizens.

On Wednesday, the regime in Kiev announced it was going to raise the issue of Crimea's return at a planned four-party meeting in Geneva on today, which is to tackle the deteriorating situation in Ukraine following the February coup.

Source: http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140417/189248044/Putin-Says-Crimea-Annexation-Was-Not-Planned.html

-- RIANOVOSTI 2014-04-17

Off-topic post removed.

"It just sort of happened....ya know?"

"oh.. it's not what ya think... really!"

"It just sort of happened....ya know?"

wait....you don't understand the whole story

what isn't being told is that

Snowden was put in charge of the small militia army that invaded Crimea....so technically the Russians aren't responsible....Now the militia is back under Russian control....but Snowden is of course......"the fall guy"....just wait....it will be on CN_ soon

"It just sort of happened....ya know?"

wait....you don't understand the whole story

what isn't being told is that

Snowden was put in charge of the small militia army that invaded Crimea....so technically the Russians aren't responsible....Now the militia is back under Russian control....but Snowden is of course......"the fall guy"....just wait....it will be on CN_ soon

Dastardly Snowden strikes again!

All Russian signs and menus should be taken down in Pattaya otherwise Putin might want to annexe Pattaya as a Russian speaking dominion! Look out for some military looking chaps appearing in Koh Larn prior to more threats and late night visits to Walking Street and Boyz Town.

If Putin didn't intend this, then why was Russia Today running scenarios and diagrams for the partition and /or annexation of eastern Ukraine ? As early as the first shooting day in Kiev.

Has Putin lost control of what RT says? Shocking......

I really don't get the distinction. This isn't a car accident, it is a military action. Oh we didn't intend to send military forces in, they were just driving around and accidentally booted the Ukranian forces out of the Crimea.