Crimean Annexation and Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Events that led to the current Ukraine crisis
On March 18, 2014, Russia formally annexed Crimea, and since then, it has been administering Crimea as two Russian federal subjects, the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol. The Crimean annexation led to a conflict between local Ukrainian and Russian forces in Donbas, followed by sanctions imposed against Russia by the West. This article gives a brief history of Crimea and explains the pre-existing Crimean crises, one of the primary reasons for its annexation. It then examines the consequences of the annexation on the current armed conflict going on in Ukraine.
Crimean annexation
Crimea has a long history of relations with Russia. The Crimean government had often faced Russian interferences, and it was in 1783 that Russia first annexed Crimea as part of its territory. At the time, Crimea was ruled by the Khanate of Crimea and was majorly occupied by the Crimean Tartars, who fled to other Ottoman empire territories post annexation. With time, the ethnic Russian population and adjoining Ukraine’s population started setting in Crimea. In 1917, Crimea became a USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republic) republic. But, in 1954, it became a Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Finally, the Soviet Union…
