Russia Annexes Crimea
February 27 – March 18, 2014 · 21st Century
Between February 27 and March 18, 2014, Russia deployed military forces to seize control of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. Russia initially denied these were Russian troops, calling them "little green men." A referendum held under military occupation on March 16 produced a reported 97% vote for annexation. Putin signed the treaty incorporating Crimea into Russia on March 18. The UN General Assembly voted 100 to 11 condemning the annexation as illegal. The seizure marked the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War that escalated to full-scale invasion in 2022.
Key Figures
Vladimir PutinVolodymyr Zelensky
Locations
Moscow KremlinCrimea
Topics
ukraineRussiawarinternational lawannexationNATOgeopolitics
Connected Events — 4 Connections
Reversed post-Soviet territorial settlement established by Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Escalated eight-year war begun with Russia Launches Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine
Extended territorial seizure pattern established by Russia Illegally Annexes Four Ukrainian Oblasts
Struck Russian territory a decade after Russian seizure of Ukrainian territory in Ukraine Launches Kursk Incursion into Russia
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