In February 2014, when Kyiv was witnessing a change of government and bloody suppression of protests, pro-Russian demonstrations took to the streets of Kerch and Sevastopol in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Both opponents and supporters of the pro-European ambitions of Ukraine demonstrated in Simferopol.

On 20 February, approximately 6 thousand troops from Russia landed in Crimea, and a few days later the Black Sea Fleet stationed in Sevastopol (15 thousand soldiers) was put on alert. On the night of 26-27 February, the government buildings of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea were stormed and taken over by troops without military insignia, called “little green men”. These soldiers hung Russian flags on administration buildings. By 3 March 2014, the key facilities on the peninsula were taken over and the ships of the Ukrainian Navy were blocked. Approximately 75 percent of the Ukrainian army stationed in Crimea deserted or joined the enemy.

It was only in early March 2014 that Vladimir Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, asked for official consent to use the military in Ukraine. No one formally owned up to what had just happened on the peninsula, although evidence showed that the “little green men” were Russian troops in disguise. 

On 16 March 2014, a referendum on the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea was held. According to official data, 96.57 percent of those who cast their votes were in favour of Crimea and Sevastopol joining Russia, at a turnout of 84 percent. On 17 March 2014, the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea declared independence of Crimea. On the same day, Russia recognized the sovereignty of Crimea, and a day later an agreement was signed between the Russian Federation, the Republic of Crimea and the separate city of Sevastopol on the incorporation of Crimea into Russia. The agreement entered into force on the date of ratification, which took place on 21 March 2014. 

The results of the referendum were not recognized as valid by the international community.

Photo: By NASA, Public Domain