Episode 11: Crimea, It Existed Before 2014

Wait, was the annexation of Crimea illegal per international law? To answer this question, we start at the beginning -- the 15th century, when Crimea was ruled by the ottoman empire and was the center for the Slavic slave trade -- and end at present day. The Ukrainian crisis and the annexation of Crimea mark the beginning of the so-called Cold War II. On this week’s episode we answer the questions: What laws did the Russian government break in annexing Crimea? How do we balance the will of the Crimean people against opposing international legality? And how does Putin use rhetoric to re-interpret international precedents as emotional rather than legal? Also Smith asserts that there are only 4 types of people, much to Lily’s chagrin.