Global Times: It is better for the Soviet Union. The five mountains oppress no one who wants to fight for Ukraine.

American MQ-5B unmanned reconnaissance plane (data map)

Global Military Report On the morning of March 16th, when reporters from Global Times wandered around the downtown area of Simferopol, they did not feel the tense atmosphere when they reported the referendum for hours. In addition to the slogan "With Russia" on both sides of the city streets, other slogans or leaflets related to the referendum are rare, and some placards have been splashed with paint, and the word "Russia" has been changed to "With Ukraine". Mike, who accompanied the reporter, said frankly: "Although the voting started at 8 o'clock, you can't see anything at the polling stations before 1 o'clock. It's better to go out later." However, Mike specially reminded our reporter that "be careful" when interviewing or taking photos at the polling place, because "the Ukrainian army lost some weapons, including submachine guns, and there were rumors among the people that there might be Ukrainian extremists who did not support Russia on the polling day."

Apart from the possibility of "extremist sabotage", will the referendum result in a war between Russia and Ukraine? In this regard, no matter the Duma MP who came from Moscow, Alexander who came back from new york to vote, or Mike who accompanied the reporter, he said with confidence: "Impossible." They are very familiar with the rumors in the US and European media that "Russian and Ukrainian troops are digging trenches at the border". "Of course, we have to guard against American sabotage, such as sending reconnaissance planes to Crimea." Mike specifically mentioned that Russia captured an MQ-5B unmanned reconnaissance plane of the US military stationed in Germany: "The drone was captured in Crimea. It is 7 meters long and can fly continuously for 22 hours at an altitude of 5,5 meters. A week ago, the US military just announced that it would transport the 66th Brigade of the German-American Army, which was specially responsible for reconnaissance, to Poland and neighboring countries by C-13 transport plane, and then the US military drones were launched over Crimea. This can't be said to be a conspiracy. " The Global Times reporter got peace through special channels, and the Crimean government intends to show the U.S. military drone to the media in various countries recently, because the Pentagon said on the 15th that the Russian side was "nonsense".

Near the Simferopol Railway Station where the Global Times reporter stayed, there is a residential community consisting of several three-story old buildings. If Mike didn't give special instructions, it would be impossible to know that this is the "family building" of the Ukrainian Army Command in Crimea. When Yuri Semenko, 49, introduced reporters to his one-bedroom apartment, he was embarrassed to say that his rank was colonel: "I have been in military service for 23 years, and the Ukrainian government has given us nothing. I have to live in this room with my wife and my 21-year-old son, who is forced to sleep on the sofa. I hope that after becoming a part of Russia, we can live at least a dignified life. "

Colonel Yuri is Ukrainian, but he supports his son to vote for joining the Russian Federation. Lieutenant Colonel Andrei, an active Ukrainian officer who has served for 15 years, also stood on the Russian side: "In addition to the allocation of officers' houses that you can never wait for, if you want to get promoted, you have to pay bribes to superior officers. What's even more frightening is that an ammunition depot of our army is actually only guarded by an 18-year-old conscript. Now, Russian special forces have taken over the ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army. At least I don't worry about safety problems. "

5-year-old Colonel Ivan Olinnik has just retired. The officer who served in the former Soviet Union and Ukraine for 22 years told reporters bitterly: "I was on the waiting list for housing allocation in 1984, but now I haven't got a house. Our husband and wife have low pensions, and even seeing a doctor is a problem. The house price is high, and the son is not married. Unless I can live to be 1 years old, there is no hope of getting a wife in this life. " All three Ukrainian troops admitted to the Global Times reporter that as soldiers, when faced with foreign armed forces, they should not say so negatively, but Colonel Ivan's feelings are very representative: "No one wants to fight for this country now! I know what you think, because when I first joined the army, I joined the Soviet army. When I felt at that time, I defended a great country and a great people. But when it became Ukraine, I felt that I was just obeying orders and didn't feel that Ukraine was a country at all.