I checked the facts about water and electricity and it is correct to say that the Crimea has no big power plants as there are indeed a range of smaller hydro plants in the South. It will hardly cover the demand but it is something. Most of the drinking water comes from the Southern mountains, although there have been contamination issues.

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The Crimean economy depends to a large degree on tourism so it is interesting to look into that matter. After some early numbers what do have some guys on the street to say?


Ludmila Marchenko, a retired teacher, simply burst into applause when asked about the masked soldiers with automatic rifles standing guard nearby.

"At first we were in shock, now we see it as a liberation," the 66-year-old told Reuters.

Those residents who felt foreboding as they watched the armored vehicles roll mostly hung back in the crowd.

"This is a mess. This is an invasion. I think this is an act of aggression by Russia," said Dmitry Bessonov, 55, a retired miner from Donetsk.

"They made a big mistake when they stood on Maidan and said they wanted to ban the Russian language ... We don't want to be second-class citizens," said Marchenko's brother Vitaly, a civilian sailor.

"I am not against a united Ukraine ... Yes, our president was not great. Yes, there was corruption and theft, but we don't want to live under these conditions. We are just sick of these speeches by fascists and neo-fascists."

"It is a great joy for is," said Vladimir Tikhonov, 53, an electrician. "I want this to be Russian land and it will be."

Valentina Magomedova, an accountant whose curiosity drew her to the scene, said people regretted a decision by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, himself a Ukrainian, to transfer the Crimea from Russia to Soviet Ukraine in 1954.

"The new authorities (in Kiev) are not legitimate. We trust Putin, we love Russia," she said. "We were part of Russia and we are sorry still that Khrushchev gave us away."

While most residents had no love for Kiev's new leaders, some were worried by the dangers of the situation and wary of Russia's designs. Confronting the mute soldiers, one man vented his frustration, "What are you doing here? Get lost."

"I have a business, tourist season is beginning, I can't have a war," he said under his breath, shaking his head and turning his back on the 10 trucks and five armored vehicles.

A nearby restaurant decided to shut its doors early and keep them shut for the next few days.

"That's me losing my salary, if this keeps up," said Natalia Fomichova, 35, a lively blonde waitress at the seaside restaurant, overlooking opulent private motor boats parked in Balaclava bay.

"No one asked us. We are like puppets for them ... We have one Tsar and god - Putin," she quipped.
The last two comments are pretty golden. "I have a business, tourist season is beginning, I can't have a war" sounds like a good slogan for peace.

Keep in mind that almost 70% of the tourists are Ukrainians and only a quarter Russians. So the slight Russian speaking majority does indeed heavily rely on it's fellow countrymen to get a salary.

The national government has also likely payed the pensions for the teacher and the minder. With the occupation in the Ukraine how will it function? Looking at the demographics of the Crimea a large share, especially among the Russian speakers rely on pensions.

I think Putin has understandably moved the 'referendum' forward as the Crimea will take increasingly heavy economic damage over time. Maybe he will try to buy a good share of them with strong financial support but it is hard to imagine working that efficiently and justly. Nobody outside Russia beside a couple of allies will in any case take the outcome of any Crimean vote under the Russian boot seriously.

So time seems to work actually in favour of Kviev.