The Deputy of the Kremlin-controlled Parliament of Sevastopol Alexey Chaly said the Russian edition TASS that Russian forces were preparing in the city revolution in 2004 and 2008. For the first time — in connection with the “orange revolution”, and the second when the former President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko ordered not to let in Sevastopol black sea fleet ships that participated in the military operations in Abkhazia. Thus Alexey Chaly says that about any help from Russia, he did not agree. All of this ultimately did not prevent the Russian military to play a key role in the annexation of Crimea in 2014, as later admitted by President Vladimir Putin.
The journalist of Radio Liberty Vitaly Portnikov believes that Alexey Chaly almost disingenuous when denying the existence of a plan for violent annexation of the Crimea:
— The decision about the annexation of Crimea took one man — Vladimir Putin, and in the night from 22 to 23 February 2014, without the consent of the rest of the Russian leadership. The President impulsively decided that the only way to fix your shaky rating. The plan of the special operation in the Crimea was preparing for the first day of the unrest in Ukraine. But it was not in fact about the annexation, that is, the inclusion of the Peninsula in structure of Russia — and the creation of instability on the example of Transdniestria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We can judge about this even by the fact that the Russian legislation did not provide for the annexation of Crimea as a former region of Ukraine, but only as a pseudo-independent state.
The political scientist Taras Berezovets noted that Alexey Chaly his bold statements can put yourself in danger from an unexpected quarter:
— Let me remind you that the so-called medal “For returning Crimea” dated 20 February 2014, i.e. before Vladimir Putin allegedly made the fateful decision. What to Alexey Chaly on previous plans to stage a coup in Sevastopol — I think they are true. Moreover, I came to the conclusion that the Autonomous Republic of Crimea was created in the early 1990s with a view to future possible annexation. On the other hand, Alexey Chaly spoke very boldly and potentially put themselves at risk. I mean not the international sanctions, and the mysterious death of various Russian generals and other members of the so-called “Russian spring” that knew too much about those events.
Taras Berezovets concludes that Ukraine in 2014 could hardly prevent the capture of the Crimea, even knowing about the plans of Russia in advance:
In 1995, Ukraine has managed to prevent the scenario of annexation after the election of President of the Crimea Yury Meshkov — intelligence then acted tough and however, in the legal field. Unfortunately, over time these special services have degraded, especially during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych: there entered the Russian agents blew up from inside. In 2014 this has led to a paralysis of power structures. On the morning of 27 February, after the capture of the Council of Ministers of Crimea by the Russian special forces should go to the assault — it was the only way to prevent annexation. However, in those conditions, with the willingness of Russians open fire in Ukraine almost had no chance to disrupt the planned special operation of the Kremlin.
