Just because you're Jewish doesn't mean you can't also be a fascist. See Israel.

@2 beat me to it. Likely not a Nazi, but not all fascists are Nazis.

ok, saying you're working for a jewish newspaper when you're in crimea means something specific. it means you're representing the victims of fascism. or it should, unless you're pleading with a russian fascist.

israeli oppression of palestinians is not taken into the equation. just fucking let it go.

@2 True. But the point is that anyone who speaks in favor of Ukrainian control of Crimea must be fascists, according to Russian speakers in Crimea. Because for them, Fascist means anti-Russian and anti-Slav (which is the same thing in their minds), not anti-Jewish or pro National Socialism.

Russia needs Crimea. Ukraine doesn't. In fact, Ukraine may well be better off without Crimea. As sinister and outrageous as the Russians' takeover there is--and as tragic as these individual stories are--I appreciate the Unites States' and the EU's measured response so far. The question now is, how do Ukraine and the EU and the USA convince Russia that it's not in Russia's interest to try to turn mainland Ukraine into the 21st century equivalent of East Germany and West Germany?

Looking forward to more Collison updates...

Collison, is it true, as I've read, that Crimea gets the vast majority of its water and electricity from the rest of Ukraine? Can't Ukraine just cut Crimea off if it wants to?

Not that it's a big deal, with everything else going on, but I wonder if this year's Kazantip Festival will be held in Popovka. My wife and I went there for our honeymoon last year. Collison's right that Crime is going to see a lot less of tourists this year, at least non-Russian tourists.

Why don't the US and other Western nations understand that Putin doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks of his actions? We're lecturing and posturing; he's laughing and "disappearing" people. If we don't shut up soon, we'll be at war yet again in order to save our pride.

@8: oh, please. no we won't. we're just talking. talk is cheap.

@8. Putin spent $50 billion on the Olympics just to show off. He also released a thousand of so prisoners to shore up his international image before the "big event". He does care what other people think of him, he just pretends he does not.

Thanks, Brendan, for posting Collison's updates. I hope he stays safe in the Crimea. Apparently, it's now a very dangerous place even for international reporters.

@7 Water going into Crimea will definitely be a factor in the coming weeks in months, as will gas to Ukraine from Russia.

"If Russia really wanted to take Crimea back, why not let Crimea hold a legal and fair vote?" Yeah, like the ones the U.S. held in Iraq.

@14 well, they SHOULD get in line behind Israel, right?