I understood everything with the Crimea as far back as 2010: I came to the Peninsula to evaluate the “types of crops” - I met with Cossacks, representatives of Russian communities, members of a local, almost semi-autonomous parliament. The peninsula smoldered, sometimes it flared up, but did not change the course - it went to Russia in a quiet way, although it was not spoken about out loud. Ukraine in the Crimea was present only in the form of road signs on the mov - the state, the established sample.

Although the “Golden Eagle”, that same “Golden Eagle”, recorded among the first innocent victims of “Maidan”, still diligently kneaded Crimean activists with truncheons when they tried to protest against Ukrainization, the first movements of NATO or just worship crosses. But the “Berkut” maydanovtsy explained everything on the “Freedom Square” in Kiev, so the departure of the “civilian” part of the Crimea to Russia was completely peaceful. As far as I can judge, as a person who worked on eight "color revolutions" around the world.

For me, it was more interesting to go and take the oath of the military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine located in the Crimea. And in my opinion, this is not the end of the prescribed page of the history of the "Crimean Spring". Perhaps because of the secrecy of the process itself. I'll tell you what I saw myself.

Four days before the referendum, a military column with “polite” moved out of Sevastopol at 7 am — kind people called me and warned me. I met her at the entrance to Simferopol, near the so-called stela, and went after her. We crossed a part of the city and found ourselves on the highway going to Yalta. Ten kilometers from Simferopol, the column turned left - to Perevalnoe, where at that time the 36th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade was based. Do not hesitate too much, the army KamAZ drove directly into the fleet of vehicles. “Green men” fell out of the cars with peas, stretching themselves along a chain along concrete fences.

The gates of the inside were propped up by an armored troop-carrier, at the checkpoint there was a detachment of armed Ukrainian marines, blocking the entrance to the unit. A short distance away, the priest from the autocephalous church and his flock in embroidered shirts and with yellow-flakitnymi flags - about ten people.

The officer, the commander of the "polite", approached his colleagues from the Armed Forces of Ukraine and reported: "I have an order to take the perimeter, here - from the corner of the fence and to the ATM." (The ATM was sticking straight out of the checkpoint wall.)

Ukrainian officers shrugged their shoulders, they say, since there is an order, take it.

And then a young boy-conscript could not resist. With the PKK in his hands, he jumped into a concrete standing trench for firing - he was right ten meters from the gate of the unit. Approved the machine gun on the bipod and began frantically pulling the bolt. Frankly speaking, in those seconds I myself was rushing up, because I was with my video camera exactly in the line of fire, and there was nowhere to go - left and right fences. "Polite" began to lie down and lower the fuses. But the situation was resolved in one second. A Ukrainian officer ran up to a lonely gunner (it should be noted, a healthy uncle) and, firmly grasping the machine gunner's collar, dragged him out of the trench. Together with the machine gun. At this resistance is over.

Exactly one year later I arrived at Perevalnoe - I wrote about how the military, who had transferred from the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the Russian army, were integrated. At the gates I was met by that mighty officer, deputy brigade commander Valery Boyko. I reminded him of the story from the “Crimean Spring”. Valery laughed.

- He had no ammo. And in the BTR was not, everything was locked in warehouses.

- How did you integrate?

- You believe, gone and did not even look back.

The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.