Euromaidan and the Ukrainian revolution Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation

euromaidan in kiev, 11 december 2013

the euromaidan protest movement began in kiev in late november 2013 after president viktor yanukovych, of party of regions, suspended signing of ukraine–european union association agreement. yanukovych won 2010 presidential election strong support voters in autonomous republic of crimea , southern , eastern ukraine. crimean autonomous government supported yanukovych , condemned protests, saying threatening political stability in country . crimean autonomous parliament said supported government s decision suspend negotiations on pending association agreement , urged crimeans strengthen friendly ties russian regions .

on 4 february 2014, presidium of supreme council considered holding referendum on peninsula s status, , asked russian government guarantee vote. security service of ukraine (sbu) responded opening criminal case investigate possible subversion of ukraine s territorial integrity. on 20 february 2014, during visit moscow, chairman of supreme council of crimea vladimir konstantinov stated 1954 transfer of crimea russian soviet federative socialist republic ukrainian soviet socialist republic had been mistake.

the euromaidan protests came head in late february 2014, , yanukovych , many of ministers fled capital on 22 february. after flight, opposition parties , defectors party of regions put parliamentary quorum in verkhovna rada (the ukrainian parliament), , voted on 22 february remove yanukovych post on grounds unable fulfil duties, although legislative removal lacked required three-quarter vote of sitting rada members according constitution in effect @ time, rada voted suspend. arseniy yatsenyuk appointed rada serve head of caretaker government until new presidential , parliament elections held. new government recognised internationally, though russian government said these events had been coup d état , , caretaker government illegitimate.