Russians Didn't Vote in Ukraine's 1991 Secession Election

In 1991 Ukrainian's voted for independence. The Soviet Unuion was crumbling. The Soviet military returning home from Eastern Europe was demoralized and often homeless. The Russian Federation was newborn and Yeltsin had to fight a coup attempt by communists to restore power. Yeltsin recognized the Ukraine and military reality. In 1991 the formerly powerful Soviet Army was leaderless politically and institutionally bankrupt. Boris Yeltsin couldn't give Ukraine independence any more than he could give away the Brooklin Bridge. He was just powerless to contest the action.

     Russians now have the institutional and military organization to contest the Ukraine secession movement from Russia that occurred in 1991. Ukraine was a part of Russia and streamed into the Soviet Union that was generally Russian. Soviets also fought to keep Ukraine Russian.The present war is just another case of the better part of a millenia old battle for the borderlands between Russia and Europe.

   If more Americans read Russian and Eastern European history U.S. leadership might have a clue that sharing Ukraine with Russia is the best and most practical direction they can take.

   Perennial wars are great sales events for military contracts. For politicians what could be better than war and proplits? If Russia had invaded an historically independent nation instead of one that was generally owned by Russians for hundreds of years I too would have supported Western defense of Ukraine. Since it is Ukraine I regard Russia as having the just cause and Ukraine as secessionists in a civil war deferred from 1991 until 2014.