ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
Russia annexed Crimea on March 18, 2014, following a disputed referendum. Russian troops without insignia ('little green men') seized the peninsula after Ukraine's pro-Russian president fled during the Euromaidan revolution. Putin claimed to protect Russian speakers.
What happened
The annexation violated international law and triggered Western sanctions. It was the first forcible annexation in Europe since WWII. Crimea had been transferred to Ukraine in 1954 by Khrushchev.
Why it still matters
The annexation began the Russo-Ukrainian War, leading to conflict in Donbas and the full-scale invasion in 2022. March 18, 2014, marked the return of territorial conquest to Europe.
Background
Western sanctions targeted Moscow.