"And what did we get told? That we're violating international law," Putin said. "First of all, I am grateful they remembered there is such a thing as international law. The armed forces of Crimea did not enter Ukraine, they were there all along. We fortified the forces, but I have to point out that we did not even go over the maximum limit of 25,000 - there was no need."

"Ukraine itself - by announcing their independence from Soviet Union - did the same (as Crimea). Then why would they ban Crimea from doing the same?" Putin continued.

He said the West recognized an identical situation in Kosovo regarding independence. Putin quoteed a United Nations document "that one-side declarations of independence can violate national legislation, but it does not mean they are in violation of international law."

"This is not even double standards - this is surprising and direct cynicism," Putin said of Western double-standards. "Had the Crimean self-defense not taken the situation under their control, there could have been victims. There was not a single shot - why do you think that is? Because it's hard to wage war against the will of the people. I want to thank the Ukrainian military - and this is 22,000 people! - for not starting bloodshed. The West says this was invasion. Have you ever seen aggression where were was no shot fired? Our Western partners, headed by the US, have started to believe that they are above all. We want an open, honest and sincere relationship with Ukraine. Today they threaten us with sanctions - but we already live in the conditions of severe limits for our economy.

The question of Ukraine is an interesting one. Masukuma asked a question which was dismissed.

But

These are the facts

I'll not say them. You watch the video. After that decide that this fight is against the angelic ukranians vs the demonic moskowvites.

Video 1: the Angelic ukranians beating the ceo of a news media company. Forcing him to resign on TV and later they kidnapped him. Just as this stories about gov't officials "summoning" the kenyan media?



The second one shows the democratic ukranians fighting for their rights. they really seem to love Russians and Jews. Very lovely people these ones.



Sometimes, things aren't they way the seem to be

Excerpts from Putin's speech