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If you are talking about Crimea one thing to understand it is kind of nice weather wise. Just like brits are moving to Magaluf or Malaga ruzzians have been getting property in Crimea. Ruzzian government did not have to force anybody there. People were willing and eager to relocate from miserable Moscow to somewhere nicer. With the population growth resources like clean water really are a limitation to development.
According to Putinesque thought, there are no Ukrainians. Just Russians suffering from a collective mass delusion that they live in a different country that isn't Russia.