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2014 Russian invasion of Crimea
Part of 2014 Crimean crisis
Date 27 February 2014 – present Location Crimea, Ukraine Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Russia	Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Crimea began in February 2014.

On 26 February 2014, Russian-speaking gunmen said to be Russian soldiers established a checkpoint between Sevastopol and Simferopol. On 27 February, gunmen seized the Crimean parliamentary building and the Council of Ministers building. At gunpoint, they deposed the Prime Minister of Crimea Anatolii Mohyliov and installed Sergey Aksyonov. On 28 February, gunmen occupied Simferopol International Airport and Sevastopol International Airport. The gunmen were recognized as Russian soldiers.

On 1 March, Russia approved the use of military force in Ukraine.

Background

Towards the end of 2013, anti-government Euromaidan protests began over the issue of Accession of Ukraine to the European Union which President Viktor Yanukovich rejected. This was viewed by the media as a step closer towards Russia-Ukraine relations. As the protests escalated into 2014, it eventually led to deaths on 20 February as a result of violence. Parliament then voted to impeach Yanukovich on 21 February during the so-called 2014 Ukrainian revolution. Residents of the Eastern and Southern parts of the country, protested against the new regime in Kiev. The Parliament of Crimea called for an extraordinary session on 21 February. The leader of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People said he suspected that the session may ask for Russian military intervention. "Tomorrow may be a decision that will bring chaos and disaster to Crimea."

On 21 February 2014 the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said that "it will use severe measures to prevent any action taken against diminishing the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine."{{#tag:ref|It also noted that "certain politicians, local government officials, leaders of civil society organizations, and radically inclined individuals have attempted to create grounds for escalating the civil conflict, and have spread autonomous and separatist attitudes among the people, which could lead to the demise of our as a united nation and loss of its national sovereignty." In addition, the statement said that certain lawmakers of every level have begun separatist negotiations with representatives of foreign nations. "Open consultations are being held on the possible division of the country into separate parts in violation of the Ukrainian constitution," read the statement. "This could lead to an escalation of conflict between different sectors of society, inciting ethnic or religious hatred and military conflict." The same day the biggest party in the Parliament of Crimea, Party of Regions who held 80 of the 100 seats, did not discuss issues relating to the separation of Crimea from Ukraine and implied to be supportive of the deal struck between President Yanukovych and the opposition to end the crises signed in Kiev the same day.

On 27 February Vasvi Abduraimov, leader of the Crimean Tatar organization Milliy Fırqa, said that his organization does not support association with the European Union, and claimed that a majority of Crimean Tatars support union with Russia. Also, he asked for protection from “bandits”.

Background

A civil uprising in Ukraine culminated in President Viktor Yanukovich fleeing Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, on 22 February 2014 as protesters against his government took control of the city. The Verkhovna Rada voted to restore the 2004 version of the Constitution of Ukraine and impeach Yanukovich shortly thereafter. This parliamentary move was denounced as illegal by Yanukovich and the government of Russia and opposed by many politicians in Ukraine's east and south.

The Autonomous Republic of Crimea replaced its Yanukovich-appointed governor with a leading pro-Russia politician, Sergey Aksyonov, who said he continued to recognize Yanukovich as the legitimate president. Councilors in the special city of Sevastopol elected a Russian citizen as mayor, as demonstrators chanted the slogan "a Russian mayor for a Russian city". Sevastopol's police chief also said he would refuse orders from Kiev.

In Sevastopol, Kerch, and other Crimean cities, demonstrators pulled down the flag of Ukraine and replaced it with the flag of Russia.

References

1. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/tension-in-crimea-as-pro-russia-and-pro-ukraine-groups-stage-competing-rallies/article17110382/
2. http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/26/world/europe/ukraine-politics
3. http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=OBR&date=20140227&id=17388073
4. http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/193305.html
5. http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2014/03/01/nr-magnay-russian-soldiers-present.cnn.html
6. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/world/europe/ukraine.html
7. ^ Ukraine: Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov named interim president, BBC News (23 February 2014)
   Ukraine protests timeline, BBC News (23 February 2014).
8. "В Украине захватывают областные госадминистрации" (in Ukrainian). Big Mir. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 1 December 2008 suggested (help)
9. "EuroMaidan rallies in Ukraine". Kyiv Post. 21 February 2014. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 1 December 2008 suggested (help)
10. "Regions Party gets 80 of 100 seats on Crimean parliament". Interfax-Ukraine. 11 November 2010. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 1 December 2008 suggested (help)
11. "Regions of Crimea meeting didn't address separation of Crimea from Ukraine – deputy prime minister of Crimea". Interfax-Ukraine. 21 February 2014. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 1 December 2008 suggested (help)
12. "Татары Крыма просят Россию помочь в битве с бандеровцами | Актуально | Новости |". Islamnews.ru. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
13. "Ukraine Protestors Seize Kiev As President Flees". TIME. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
14. "Ukraine President Yanukovich impeached". Al Jazeera English. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
15. "Crimea's new prime minister calls Yanukovych president, relies on Russian financial aid (UPDATED)". Kyiv Post. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
16. "Ukraine: Sevastopol installs pro-Russian mayor as separatism fears grow". The Guardian. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
17. "Demonstrators raise Russian flag in Kerch". Focus News. 23 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
18. "No Ukrainian flags left on Sevastopol administrative buildings". Kyiv Post. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.

v t e Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity
21 November 2013 – 23 February 2014
Main topics	Timeline of the Euromaidan Domestic responses to the Euromaidan International reactions to the Euromaidan Casualties Heavenly Hundred Order of the Heavenly Hundred Heroes Damaged communist monuments
Main events	1 December 2013 riots Fall of the monument to Lenin in Kyiv 11 December 2013 assault Ukrainian–Russian action plan Anti-Maidan Vasylkiv terrorists case Anti-protest laws in Ukraine 2014 Odesa clashes 2014 Hrushevskoho Street riots 2014 RSA occupations Agreement on settlement of political crisis in Ukraine Revolution of Dignity
Aftermath	2014 pro-Russian unrest Timeline Russian military intervention 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia Timeline War in Donbas timeline First Yatsenyuk government Lustration in Ukraine Decommunization in Ukraine
Elections	2014 Ukrainian presidential election 2014 Ukrainian local elections 2014 Kyiv local election 2014 Crimean status referendum 2014 Donbas status referendums 2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election
Main places	Maidan Nezalezhnosti Mezhyhirya Khreshchatyk Lypky Bankova Street European Square Hrushevskoho Street Dynamo Stadium Kyiv City Council Trade Unions Building Ukrainian House Mariinskyi Park October Palace Kyiv Conservatory
European integration	Ukraine–European Union relations Eastern Partnership European Union Association Agreement European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement Constitution of Ukraine
Protest figures	Organizations Maidan People's Union Euromaidan Press Parliamentary opposition parties Batkivshchyna Svoboda UDAR Other parties Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists Democratic Alliance UNA–UNSO United Left and Peasants Civic organizations Automaidan Road Control Vidsich Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Militant groups Right Sector Spilna Sprava Lead figures Vitali Klitschko Arseniy Yatsenyuk Oleh Tyahnybok Petro Poroshenko Yuriy Lutsenko Oleksandr Turchynov Yulia Tymoshenko Andriy Parubiy Andriy Sadovyi Arsen Avakov Ruslana Tetiana Chornovol Dmytro Bulatov Dmytro Yarosh Refat Chubarov
Anti-protest figures	Organizations Second Azarov government Ministry of Internal Affairs Internal Troops of Ukraine Security Service of Ukraine Berkut Militsiya (Ukraine) Party of Regions Titushky Night Wolves Don Cossacks Antimaidan Lead figures Viktor Yanukovych Mykola Azarov Serhiy Arbuzov Vitaliy Zakharchenko Oleksandr Yefremov Andriy Klyuyev Hennadiy Kernes Mykhailo Dobkin Viktor Pshonka Olena Lukash Yuriy Boyko Leonid Kozhara Dmytro Tabachnyk Oleksandr Klymenko