By Yuriy Butusov, Contributing editor @ Censor.net

March 10, 2014  status update
Translated by Olya Lutska and edited by Voices of Ukraine
Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=742444165766115&id=635416686497814&stream_ref=10

Before I go to sleep, I would like to remind everyone of my statements about Crimea, about which I have spent the past two weeks writing and of which, as far as I see, people should be reminded every hour:

1. No “referendum” will change anything because it is already considered illegitimate by the whole world, including the UN; therefore, it is IMPOSSIBLE to annex Crimea as a qualified subject of the Russian Federation. Even after March 16, 2014, Ukrainian laws will govern Crimea.

2. Crimea is UNABLE to survive without Ukraine and its economy. Therefore, Crimea won’t feel enthusiasm or joy from the [Russian] occupation. In turn, the occupation regime won’t gain any popularity.

3. Putin can invade Ukraine and even conquer a considerable part of Ukraine. But Russia will pay for aggression against a sovereign nation with international sanctions, violation of tens of international legal instruments and, as a result, a complete collapse of the Russian economy. Invading Ukraine will be the last ploy for Putin – he won’t be able to sustain a prolonged war.

4. The myth of Russia’s wealth and that Putin will buy everyone is nothing but a myth. Putin can recruit separate politicians and journalists in the West and that’s what he is doing. But people in the West know how to count their money and no one will let Putin grab markets goods and pose a danger to the eastern border of Europe. Once the Russian Federation is shut off from the energy markets, the Putinomics will instantly collapse. Russia doesn’t export anything except for raw materials – all other products are the result of industrial cooperation with the West.

5. Putin is AFRAID OF WAR with Ukraine – otherwise the tanks would have attacked without any declaration of war and provocations in Crimea. Russia understands that in the event of a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the stop in natural gas transit to the EU, border closures, as well as the termination of all cooperation with Ukraine and other key markets will lead to a total collapse of the Russian economy. Without the Ukrainian market and gas distribution through our [Ukrainian] pipeline Russia will not survive.

6. Ukraine CANNOT lose Crimea. We may get scared and make concessions to Putin, but I hope that we WILL NOT make a deal with a terrorist. We may lose one of the many fights or surrender a piece of land the occupiers will boss around, because we are normal people who do not want war and death. The maniac Putin is ready to walk over dead bodies. We can lose a fight, but WE WILL DEFINITELY WIN THE WAR FOR OUR FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE!

Conclusions:

1. Do what we can to help our military and authorities hold on in Crimea.
2. Explain the situation to victims of Russian propaganda.
3. Keep clarity of mind and be reserved in our judgments.
4. Respect Ukraine, its authorities, the difficulties they are facing, and criticize them constructively; behave with dignity like FREE PEOPLE do.

GLORY TO UKRAINE!

Yuriy Butusov was among over 40 journalists covering the events on Bankova Street in Kyiv and beaten by riot police on December 1, 2013:
http://censor.net.ua/news/261799/militsiya_izbila_bolee_40_jurnalistov_glavredu_tsenzornet_yuriyu_butusovu_probili_golovu_foto_obnovleno