Political evaluation of events of "Crimean spring" in the project of the American analytical center RAND

Western countries, led by the United States, reacted sharply negatively to the reunification of the Crimea with Russia. The anti-Russian campaign launched in the United States is aimed at shaping an appropriate public opinion, and the draft action strategy involves the consumer in the person of the ruling elite. The article analyzes the draft US anti-Russian political strategy on the causes, course and consequences of the entry of the Crimea into Russia, presented by the RAND Corporation. This analytical center is the oldest among such structures in the United States and focuses on contractual preparation of analytical materials for the US government, in particular, the Pentagon. A general approach to covering the Crimean Spring event among RAND analysts is based on the traditional condemnation of the reunification of Crimea with Russia, which is confirmed by frequency analysis data. The RAND report highlighted the factors contributing to Russia's success in March 2014 in Crimea and the reasons for Ukraine’s loss of control over the peninsula. Among the shortcomings of the operation to return to the Crimea, RAND analysts highlight the unwillingness of local Crimean politicians to such a development. The US expert community is still inclined to perceive nationalism as a means of tactical struggle against Russia. The bloodless reunification of the Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia became an unforeseen scenario for American analysts, which seriously complicated the forecasting of similar scenarios in the future.