I don't know if Crimeans staying at the exchange offices with new digits signifying the inevitable collapse of the Russian ruble that they - or rather, those who wanted to live and die in Russia is the main cause of this collapse. A small Peninsula that did not become after its occupation Catherine troops of the new civilization, caught somewhere between shabby military base and provincial resort, for the third time causes the collapse of a huge country concerned about proof of his greatness and self-sufficiency.

Mystic would say that this is retribution for the destruction of the occupiers of the present Crimea, the destruction of the khanate, the displacement of the indigenous population, Stalin's genocide and the indifference of the people. But Crimea is part of the civilization of the Levant, but because everyone has their own - the Crimean Tatar, Armenian, Greek, Ukrainian, Karaites, Krymchaks. And even in Russian, thinking that this beautiful bitter earth - cottage or farm - also its the Crimea. So it's not the payoff. Matter of reassessment opportunities. Whenever Russia is on the side of civilization, she begins to believe that she is the center. And whenever she starts to believe that she is her center, she tries to prove it using the Crimea. Whenever she tries to beat his Crimean Joker civilization aces of the real world, she screamed and dies as a fat pimply teenager, came to the ring with a world champion in Boxing.

Russia Nikolaev times were killed because they tried to replace the "old world order" "new" was involved in the Crimean war with the West and ruptured, forever lost superpower status of his time. After adventures of Nicholas I, Alexander II did were drowned in Sevastopol state artificial respiration, tried to reform, even serfdom abolished - but his heirs were the real enemies, not giving any report in the consequences of their actions. The Empire collapsed.

But there was still hope that Russia will be able to rescue from the devil's nightmare, which suddenly appeared on the empty place of the rotten state. Alas! Place, "where is the end of Russia over the black sea and deaf", became a symbol of limitation, obsolescence and incapacity of the white movement, who is fighting a struggle not only with the Bolsheviks, but also with seeking freedom of the peoples of the Empire. Chauvinist won in the last Russian soldier patriot - and the place of the deceased Russia took forever Russian Soviet Union.

Today in the Crimea killed his stump - the Russian Federation, created by Lenin, suveranitatea Yeltsin and brought to cponder Putin. Of course, her funeral will say that Crimea is not to blame. What oil prices would have fallen without the Crimea. That incompetent Russian leadership was elected without opposition, not having the slightest opportunity to participate in the elections of the President of the country. That Crimea was simply unlucky - if he fell in Russia in fatty oil, its inhabitants could enjoy time full blunt of idleness, together with new compatriots. Could not just die together with Russia, but also to live finally.

But all this is not so. Russia, not connecting to itself the Crimea, not targeted by sanctions, not believing in permissiveness, not perceived by contemporaries as the "sick man of Eurasia, would at the time of its collapse to rely on loans, aid, sympathy and investment. No one would be interested in its destabilization, the collapse of the economy, the death of the ruble and the fall of Putin. No one would be waiting with a cold curiosity, when it's all over.

To be on the side of civilizations - it does not mean these civilizations to threaten. It simply means to live on the sidelines - as lived in Russia until recent years, as Emelia on the stove, no offering, in addition to raw materials, not developing, not inventing anything - but no one frightening. Such areas of timelessness is in any era - and they disturb nobody, until you start to steal, shoot around and at the sky and ranting about his special mission. Then hope that the storm someday will move into the era of development, is replaced by contempt and horror by the expectation of imminent collapse site, stuck in nowhere and burning out on the world from all Crimean guns.

Vitaly Portnikov, Kyiv journalist, columnist, Crimea.Realities