Sir, – Now that the Crimeans have had their say, are we to expect a referendum on Chechnya’s allegiance any time soon? – Yours, etc,
PAUL GREGAN,
Sans Souci Wood,
Bray, Co Wicklow.
Sir, – The depressing assertion of your editorial (March 18th) "There is almost now, like it or not, a fait accompli quality to Ukraine's loss of Crimea", should perhaps have read, "Sadly, EU economic self-preservation, and imperial expansionist bullying, combine in triumph, as one United Nations member invades another with astonishing and shameful impunity".
The situation in Ukraine is undoubtedly complex, but so what? This complexity should not blind us to the shocking reality that a sovereign nation’s territorial integrity has been ripped apart, with every possibility that further Ukrainian territory will be annexed.
The slow strangulation of the infant Russian democracy under Vladimir Putin has been conveniently and long ignored by whatever the “West” is supposed to be. Now, I fear, the tanks are coming home to roost! – Yours, etc,
DECLAN DOYLE,
Lisdowney,
Kilkenny.