. . mainly due to British stupidity. After the Light Brigade, and other events, they changed the rules so commanding officers had to be trained in military schools. Before that, they just needed the correct social rank.

Henry VIII watched his newest battleship, the Mary Rose, sink before his eyes due to similar stupidity of the nobility. He changed the rules for the Navy so the Chief Boatswain owned the ship and the crew. The officers could tell him where the ship was to go - but not how to get it there.

Crimea was transfered to Ukraine by the Soviet Union - run by Russia - so it must have been with Russian approval. Of course, in those days, they called Ukraine "Little Russia".