Background Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation

decree of presidium of supreme soviet transfer of crimean oblast . supreme council herald, 9 march 1954.

crimea became part of russian empire in 1783, when crimean khanate annexed, became part of russian soviet federative socialist republic until 1954. during first stages of russian civil war there series of short-lived governments - (crimean people s republic, crimean regional government, crimean ssr) - followed white russian (general command of armed forces of south russia , later south russian government). in october 1921, crimean autonomous soviet socialist republic of russian sfsr instituted. after second world war , subsequent deportation of of indigenous crimean tatars, crimean assr stripped of autonomy in 1946 , downgraded status of oblast of russian sfsr.

in 1954, crimean oblast transferred russian sfsr ukrainian ssr decree of presidium of supreme soviet of soviet union.

in 1989, under perestroika, supreme soviet declared deportation of crimean tatars under stalin had been illegal, , muslim ethnic group allowed return crimea.

in 1990, soviet of crimean oblast proposed restoration of crimean assr. oblast conducted referendum in 1991, asked whether crimea should elevated signatory of new union treaty (that is, became union republic on own). time, though, dissolution of soviet union underway. crimean assr restored less year part of soviet ukraine before ukrainian independence. newly independent ukraine maintained crimea s autonomous status, while supreme council of crimea affirmed peninsula s sovereignty part of ukraine. autonomous status of crimea limited ukrainian authorities in 1995.

in september 2008, ukrainian foreign minister volodymyr ohryzko accused russia of giving out russian passports population in crimea , described real problem given russia s declared policy of military intervention abroad protect russian citizens.

on 24 august 2009, anti-ukrainian demonstrations held in crimea ethnic russian residents. sergei tsekov (of russian bloc , deputy speaker of crimean parliament) said hoped russia treat crimea same way had treated south ossetia , abkhazia. crimea populated ethnic russian majority , minority of both ethnic ukrainians , crimean tatars, , demographically possessed 1 of ukraine s largest ethnic russian populations.

euromaidan , ukrainian revolution


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.