1) Life is better for people with government jobs. Pensions and government salaries really did increase and the increase outstrips food prices.

2) Life is worse for entrepreneurs and people employed by private companies. Corruption and bureaucracy posed a problem, plus prices have radically increased.

3) All the police were fired. “We don’t need traitors,” they were told. The police were replaced with police from Moscow and other parts of Russia.

4) There’s a huge influx of immigrants from other parts of Russia who prefer getting their pensions in Crimea than in Siberia.

5) My friend was a proud Ukrainian and disrespectful to the border guards. He refused to speak or write in Russian and called Crimea occupied territory. He guard was infuriated, but the officer respected him for him.