If you want to know how quickly Russia has been making moves in the Ukrainian peninsula in Crimea, take a look at this picture tweeted by journalist Dave Keating:
screenshot/@DaveKeating/Skitch
Keating: "Russia Today has already changed their map..."
Here's what has happened so far today:
• Crimea's new Kremlin-backed government announced that it would ask to join Russia and hold a referendum on March 16.
• Russia's legislature started the process of accepting the strategic Black Sea port.
• A Crimean politician told Guardian journalist Shaun Walker that "Russia is already part of Russia".
• Crimea's deputy prime minster said that Ukrainian soldiers in Crimea were 'occupiers.'
• The U.S. announced sanctions on select Russians and Americans.
Ukraine and the U.S. both say that the secession vote would be illegitimate without the cooperation of Kiev.
The Kremlin obviously doesn't care about that argument, as seen by the map on its propaganda channel.
Russia Today leaves up this map during segment about Crimea, showing what it would look like after referendum pic.twitter.com/5XFajzdkUJ
- Dave Keating (@DaveKeating) March 6, 2014