Russians Cling To Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula

by Anne Garrels, NPR

Ethnic Russians outnumber Ukrainians in the city of Crimea, even though the city is part of Ukraine. Most of those Russians have yet to reconcile themselves to the idea of an independent Ukraine. This is reinforced by the continued presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean port. The Russian navy has leased the port until 2017, but the Western-influenced Ukrainian government wants to join NATO and says it will not renew the lease with Moscow.

Broadcast Dates

• Morning Edition, September 12, 2008