Uh Oh: Putin Allegedly Claims The Dissolution of the Soviet Union Was Illegal

And therefore, impliedly, a legal nullity, to be undone at Russia's whim.

According to Dzhemilev, Putin also said that it was debatable as to whether Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union, acquired in 1991, was even legal.

Dzhemilev is a Crimean Tartar leader. He'd called Putin to advise him that the upcoming referendum on Crimea's re-annexation by Russia might violate treaty guarantees of Ukraine's sovereignty.

Putin seems to be taking the position that Ukraine has no legal sovereignty to violate.

Thanks to @slublog.

Meanwhile, a Kiev legislator has said Ukraine must go nuclear to preserve its freedom.

Ukraine may have to arm itself with nuclear weapons if the United States and other world powers refuse to enforce a security pact that obligates them to reverse the Moscow-backed takeover of Crimea, a member of the Ukraine parliament told USA TODAY.

The United States, Great Britain and Russia agreed in a pact "to assure Ukraine's territorial integrity" in return for Ukraine giving up a nuclear arsenal it inherited from the Soviet Union after declaring independence in 1991, said Pavlo Rizanenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament.

"We gave up nuclear weapons because of this agreement," said Rizanenko, a member of the Udar Party headed by Vitali Klitschko, a candidate for president. "Now there's a strong sentiment in Ukraine that we made a big mistake."

Yes, but it seems a bit late for that.

Even NPR is asking if it would have been better if Ukraine had kept its nukes-- and not been pressured to turn them over to Russia, based upon a false promise by the UK and US to defend its borders.

posted by Ace at 06:00 PM

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