[crazybonkersai]

It is a far stretch to call annexation/reunification (pick whichever you like) an invasion. There was no fighting and it went almost with no violence. There was a swift independence referendum followed by a decree to join Russian Federation. Majority of Crimean population voted in favor, as later confirmed by independent gallups. Anyone thinks that Crimeans want to rejoin Ukraine is delusional.

[JumpCrisscross]

> stretch to call annexation/reunification (pick whichever you like) an invasion. There was no fighting

Invasion is occupation. Fighting isn't a pre-requisite. Entire colonies were gained in the age of empire through gunboat diplomacy [1]. We even extend the metaphor to invasive species.

> Majority of Crimean population voted in favor

Correct.

> Anyone thinks that Crimeans want to rejoin Ukraine is delusional

With present tense, unknown.

More generally, Xinjiang would vote for independence from China, J&K from India and Siberia from Russia [1]. Local self-determination isn't a maximalist proxy advocated for by anyone but anarchists.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunboat_diplomacy#Notable_exam...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_Republic

[crazybonkersai]

Why stop with these examples though? By the same rhetoric, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Finnish Lapland, Venice, Eastern Germany, Quebec, Hawaii and Texas are all occupied either by force or gunboat diplomacy.

[JumpCrisscross]

> Why stop with these examples though?

Because it’s a long list and I was being polite.