Russian Fairy Tales

                Russian President Vladimir Putin used his annual New Year’s Eve address to the nation to claim that the March annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region was, “the most important milestone in the country’s history.”

                Apparently, he doesn’t recall World War II. Ever been to, say, Stalingrad (Volgograd) Mr. President? Staving off becoming a part of the Third Reich and subsequently winning the war can’t compare to your annexation of Crimea? Well, that should make the Ukrainians feel better, anyway! Clearly, he has no intention of giving the Crimean peninsula back unless he’s forced to. And he doesn’t appear worried about that prospect. Nor should he be.

                He also touted love for the Motherland and stated, “It manifested to the full extent in the brotherly support of Crimea and Sevastopol residents, when they firmly decided to return home.” Putin should consider a second career in stand-up comedy, or perhaps contemplate writing children’s fairy-tales.

                “The brotherly support of Crimea and Sevastopol residents, when they firmly decided to return home?”  Did Putin’s military kill and wound Ukrainian soldiers because they were offering their brotherly support? It was President Putin who ‘firmly decided to return Crimean residents home’ by "annexing" them and massing Russian troops on- and over- the Ukrainian border.  How many Ukrainians have been killed by the Russians own ‘brotherly support’ since clashes started months ago? They were certainly returned home. To their maker.

I suppose South Korea has historically been experiencing the ‘brotherly support’ of North Korea, too, Mr. Putin?