Mark Galeotti, a New York University professor who studies Russia, pointed out that Crimea would make little sense as a staging ground for military action against eastern Ukraine, which borders mainland Russia but not Crimea, and that the rest of the country is better defended.
纽约大学研究俄罗斯事务的教授马克·加莱奥蒂指出，克里米亚作为集结地用于针对东乌克兰的军事行动是毫无意义的，东乌克兰毗邻俄罗斯大陆而非克里米亚，而且这个国家其他地区的防御情况较好。