Ukraine finds itself in bitter stand-off with West over Russia crisis , new status of Nekrassov . President Putin made it clear that Crimea was going to remain Russian , says Alexander Nekrassov . Ukraine was mentioned in last year 's address in the sense that Russia was planning to continue working with it with the view of promoting Ukrainian membership of the Customs Union , as part of the bigger Euroasian project . Nekrassov : Crimea appears to have no taste for drastic economic measures . Sanctions and falling oil prices yet to be felt by most Russians , so Putin still popular - Nekrassov .
Ukraine finds itself in bitter stand-off with West over Russia crisis , new status of Nekrassov . President Putin made it clear that Crimea was going to remain Russian , says Alexander Nekrassov . Nekrassov : Crimea appears to have no taste for drastic economic measures . Sanctions and falling oil prices yet to be felt by most Russians , so Putin still popular - Nekrassov .