I am extremely well versed in the events in Ukraine, it was a bit of an obsession of mine while it was going on. I think it very much is an annexation because of the 'little green men' invasion of Ukraine to occupy this territory. And yes by all measures it was then Ukraine - even by treaty with Russia - so hostile troops coming in to take territory that had been filled with Russians is an annexation in my mind and is, regardless of terminology, an illegal means of acquiring territory. Let me ask you this - if enough latinos populate Texas is it rightful for Mexico to invade it, occupy it and then hold an election to transfer it into Mexican control? Of course not.

But Crimea is not the only invasion/annexation and all of the others involved zero vote as to the occupieds' will to join Russia. Parts of Moldova, Georgia, Chechnya and, yes, Ukraine. The territorial expansion of Russia is not limited to Crimea and extends to areas without significant Russian population. Belarus will probably eventually be annexed by Putin and Putin has made countless threats against the Baltic nations who would be defenseless without NATO. Then there are all the territorial dispute nonsense going on right now with many other nations and their militarization and expansionism in the Arctic.

None of this means I hate Russia or dislike Russians. I don't view the Russian government as an enemy either. But trusting them is absurdly foolish as they constantly betray the trust of their own neighbors in the worst ways possible. The Russian Empire, Soviet Union and Russian Federation are just slightly different flavors of the exact same Russian imperialism.