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The legitimacy-building process in the wake of the crisis in Ukraine and Russia's annexation of Crimea is investigated in this paper. A comprehensive dataset of President Putin's speeches was analyzed using qualitative text analysis in order to reveal the basic legitimizing arguments within the narrative. Four basic subject areas were identified in the dataset – history, identity, Ukrainian context, and the international context. These subjects are further analyzed in order to present the logic and development of the legitimacy building process presented by the Russian President to domestic and international audiences.

The article presents a critical evaluation of the concepts of human development and weak statehood and outlines the relationship between them. It is argued that weak statehood has a very significant impact on the success of development strategies even if they stem from human development goals. For example, weak statehood has a direct effect on the provision or non-provision of public goods by the state. Therefore, connecting these concepts provides a perspective for analyzing various issues linked to implementation of development strategies. In conclusion, the article presents the concept of 'functional networking' as a tool for development in the anarchic environment of weak statehood. Functional networking is based on placing unmistakable emphasis on the development of individuals (daily livelihood of families), acceptance of Amartya Sen's condition of the freedom of individuals in terms of decision and opportunity, and the involvement of civil society.