I understand the awful frustration people are feeling about Crimea, but social media shouldn’t determine what the Ukrainian govt should do right now. Without outside support and aid, Ukraine can do virtually nothing about the situation in Crimea, and even then, it would be very risky. Let Crimea go, and try to get the rest of Ukraine together as a united country; that’s going to take time even without a large amount of bloodshed and destruction. Winning hearts and minds is about all the Rada can do at this point.

The level of public anger/frustration is rising dramatically in Ukraine, as social media filled w demands for the govt to fight for Crimea

— Maxim Eristavi (@MaximEristavi) March 18, 2014

Don’t people understand that in this instance Putin saw his opportunity to go in quickly without repercussions and take what he wanted? It was like a seasoned shoplifter brazenly walking out of an exclusive store in their most expensive coat and never looking back—and never being caught, either.