9 June 2025
by Aleksandr Podrabinek
Source: Facebook
The outrage of the emigre pen-pushers knows no bounds. How dare the European Parliament devote so much attention to Navalnaya, Yashin, and Kara-Murza? For what reason? Why not us? What makes us worse? The wailing and moaning of those starved of European attention is backed, in their eyes, by a rock-solid argument: they couldn’t answer the question ‘Whose is Crimea?’
But the question itself is fundamentally absurd. It’s like asking, ‘Have you stopped drinking cognac in the mornings yet?’ It supposes only two possible answers: ‘Crimea is Russian’ or ‘Crimea is Ukrainian.’ Neither answer reflects today’s reality. If you say ‘Crimea is Russian,’ you are acknowledging the reality, but violating international law and Ukraine’s sovereignty. If you say ‘Crimea is Ukrainian,’ you support Ukraine’s legal right to Crimea, but deny reality – because in fact, Crimea is ruled by the Russian occupation authorities.
In short, the question is ambiguous and poorly framed. To clarify someone’s political position, the question ought to be: ‘To whom should Crimea belong?’ That question deserves a direct answer.
Crossing the Schengen border once, I was asked by a European border guard: ‘Whose is Crimea?’ I answered: ‘In fact – Russian, by law – Ukrainian, by justice – Crimean Tatar.’ A long answer to a badly posed question.
So, stop needlessly nitpicking at former political prisoners like Yashin and Kara-Murza. Envy them in silence.
Translated by James Lofthouse
