海角大神

Why are Russian troops mobilizing in Crimea? According to聽President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials, they are there to defend Russia's "citizens and compatriots" in Ukraine聽whose human rights are in grave danger.聽

The Kremlin's messaging has been to these two groups. In a Saturday phone call with President Obama, Putin spoke of 鈥渁 real threat to the lives and health of Russian citizens and the many compatriots who are currently on Ukrainian territory,鈥� according to . Putin used a similar phrasing during a that same day.

But who, exactly, are those people? 鈥淩ussian citizens鈥� is straightforward: if you hold a Russian passport, you鈥檙e a citizen, regardless of where you live. Ukraine had 96,000 Russian citizens the last time the country held a national census in 2001.聽

鈥淐ompatriots鈥� is more nuanced, and far broader. And that's why Putin's "" in Ukraine opens the door to other future interventions, subject to the Kremlin's strategic interpretation.聽

You don't have to be an ethnic Russian to qualify as a compatriot. Ukrainians and any other ethnic group from the former Soviet Union can lay claim to the title if they assert an affinity with Russia.

Like the English word 鈥渃ompatriot,鈥� the Russian word sootechestvennik is comprised of two parts meaning, roughly, 鈥渢ogether鈥� and 鈥渇atherland.鈥� But since the break-up of the Soviet Union, it has also served as a term that binds together former Soviet citizens, as well as a legal term used to obtain Russian citizenship.

Under Russian聽, compatriots are individuals who once lived in Russia or the Soviet Union. Ethnicity isn't a factor. A Tartar, a Kyrgyz, or a Ukrainian who freely identifies with the Russian Federation and previously lived in the Soviet Union is as much a compatriot as an ethnic Russian living in Latvia.

Additionally, those 鈥渨ho鈥檝e made a conscious choice in favor of spiritual, cultural, or jurisdictional bond鈥� with Russia can be considered compatriots. These people, along with former USSR citizens, can voluntarily resettle in Russia under聽 signed by Putin.

Still not sure if you qualify? Try this: Any direct descendants of the above also is in the roomy compatriot tent. So are those who sought refuge overseas from the Soviet system. Come back to Mother Russia, if you please.聽

In fact, Moscow has been descendants of great cultural figures and noble families of the Romanov era that ended with the Russian Revolution. These offspring have been invited to take up the compatriot title and become cultural ambassadors for Russia. Bygones will be bygones.聽

So, back to Ukraine. How many people fall under this broad definition?

According to the 2001 census, Ukraine had聽 ethnic Russians, from a total of 48 million. About of the population identified Russian as their mother tongue. But this percentage likely fell in the last decade; state-owned TV channel RT reports that around live in Ukraine now.聽

Crimea was home to 1.2 million ethnic Russians, or 59 percent of the peninsula鈥檚 population, at the time of the last census. Very few Crimea residents speak Ukrainian natively, and the area is bound to Russia through deep and often bloody historical ties.

There is no doubt that an overwhelming share of Crimea residents falls under the compatriot definition and is eager to seek Putin's protection. An example is by members of the Russian community in Sevastopol that calls on Moscow to intervene.

But not every compatriot shares this sentiment. Some of the ethnic Russians living in Ukraine reportedly聽聽to 鈥渢hank鈥� Putin for his concern but ask that he respect the country鈥檚 borders. And this聽 posted by the protest movement鈥檚 organizers echoed this view. Standing next to a man holding a newborn child, the woman displays a poster saying, 鈥淚'm a Russian citizen. Nobody is threatening me. Putin's lying!鈥�

Then there's this Internet that recently spiked on Ukrainian social media: 鈥淭sss! Speak Russian very quietly. Or Putin will hear you 鈥� and send an occupational force into your country.鈥�

Compatriots, you have been warned.聽