Was Odessa and Crimea "occupied" in 2003 when Putin signed border agreements?
Was it "occupied" in 2004 when Ukrainian border agreement was ratified by Russian Duma?
Was it "occupied" in 2008 when Putin in no uncertain forms stated that Russia has zero territorial desputes with Ukraine?
In an interview with Germany's ARD television in 2008, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow recognizes all of Ukraine's borders, and that there is no issue of ethnic conflict in Crimea. His comments stand in stark contrast with Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
www.rferl.org
Rushists certainly have very novel stories to tell since 2014.