There are no Russian soldiers in Crimea. Forget it.

Because all you have heard and seen before is an optical illusion. So say Putin and Lavrov.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that none of Russia’s forces have moved into the Crimean Peninsula, drawing a stunned reaction from Kerry.

Lavrov reiterated Putin’s claims on Wednesday. Asked if Russia could order the troops in the Crimea region back to their bases, Lavrov told a reporter in Madrid: “If you mean the self-defense units created by the inhabitants of Crimea, we give them no orders, they take no orders from us,” according to Reuters.

Move along, ladies and gentlemen, nothing to see here. Case closed.

P.S. "Inhabitants"? Did he mean "natives"? Or "aborigines"?