On March 18, 2014 Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. The takeover was swift and largely bloodless, but it sent relations between Moscow and the West into a downward spiral not seen since the Cold War.
The annexation was not just a major geopolitical turning point; it also paved the way for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, during which Moscow seized even more Ukrainian territory. But why is Crimea so fiercely contested, and what role does it play today?
Crimea: A Geostrategic Stronghold With a Long History
Crimea, a diamond-shaped peninsula in the Black Sea, has been a coveted territory for centuries. In the 18th century, Catherine the Great annexed it for the Russian Empire, and since then, Russia has repeatedly fought to maintain control over it.
Before the Russian conquest, Crimea was home to the Crimean Tatars. But under Stalin’s rule, the peninsula witnessed one of its darkest chapters: In 1944, the Soviet dictator deported nearly 200,000 Crimean Tatars—about a third of the population—to remote areas of Central Asia. They were collectively accused of collaborating with Nazi Germany, a charge that historians today dismiss as baseless. Nearly half of the deportees perished within 18 months due to starvation and disease.
In 1954, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred Crimea from the Russian Soviet Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic—a symbolic gesture marking the 300th anniversary of Moscow and Kyiv’s union. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Crimea remained part of newly independent Ukraine.
However, Russia retained a strategic foothold: The Russian Black Sea Fleet continued to operate from its base in Sevastopol. Historically, Crimea also held cultural significance for Russia’s elite. Tsar Nicholas II vacationed there, and during the Soviet era, the peninsula—particularly the resort town of Yalta—was a prime holiday destination.
Why Did Russia Annex Crimea in 2014?
Russia’s annexation of Crimea was a direct response to the political upheaval in Kyiv. In February 2014, pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted after months of mass protests on Maidan Square and fled to Russia.
Moscow reacted immediately: Unidentified troops—later known as “little green men”—occupied Crimea, while a hastily arranged referendum on joining Russia was held. Ukraine and Western governments dismissed the vote as illegitimate, but Russia swiftly declared Crimea to be Russian territory.
The West responded with sharp condemnation. The U.S., the European Union, and other allies imposed sanctions on Russia, plunging relations to a new low. International recognition of the annexation was virtually nonexistent, with only countries like North Korea and Sudan backing Moscow’s move. For the West, the annexation was a fait accompli ("a done deal") that could only have been reversed through a risky military escalation.
The Budapest Memorandum – An Empty Promise
In 1994, the U.S. and the U.K. gave Ukraine security guarantees under the Budapest Memorandum—in exchange for giving up its nuclear weapons. But the agreement was not a defense pact. When Russia violated it, the West had no legal obligation to intervene—and no political will to do so.
Obama’s Restraint and NATO’s Hesitation
President Barack Obama sought to avoid direct confrontation. The U.S. had just withdrawn from Iraq and Afghanistan, and another escalation with Russia was not an option. Moreover, Ukraine was not a NATO member, meaning Article 5 did not apply. Meanwhile, Europe's dependence on Russian gas further fueled the West’s reluctance to act.
nside Russia, however, the annexation ignited a wave of patriotic fervor. The slogan “Krym nash!” (“Crimea is ours!”) became a rallying cry, and Putin’s approval ratings soared. According to the independent Levada Center, his popularity jumped from 65% in January 2014 to 86% by June.
The Consequences of Annexation: A Conflict Without End
Following Crimea’s annexation, armed conflict erupted in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces. Although Moscow denied direct involvement, overwhelming evidence pointed to Russian troops and weaponry aiding the insurgency.
In July 2014, a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet was shot down over separatist-held territory, killing all 298 people on board. An international investigation determined that the missile system used in the attack had been supplied by Russia.
Despite ongoing skirmishes, Crimea remained a strategic anchor for Moscow. When Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the peninsula played a central role: Russian forces stationed there rapidly pushed into southern Ukraine, capturing key areas such as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
A senior Russian military official later confirmed that securing a land corridor to Crimea—by occupying vast parts of eastern and southern Ukraine—was a key objective of Russia’s so-called “special military operation.”
Crimea as a Target of Ukrainian Counterattacks
Before 2022, Ukraine had primarily relied on diplomacy to reclaim Crimea. But as the war escalated, Kyiv began targeting the peninsula with military strikes to weaken Russia’s grip.
Ukrainian drones and missiles have hit key strategic sites:
The Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol has been repeatedly attacked.
Airbases and ammunition depots have come under fire.
The strategically vital Crimean Bridge, which links the peninsula to mainland Russia, was severely damaged in 2022 and 2023.
The Future of Crimea: Uncertain Prospects
Putin has called Crimea a “sacred place” and criminalized any assertion that it belongs to Ukraine. Meanwhile, repression against the Crimean Tatars has continued, despite Moscow’s claims to the contrary—at least 30,000 Tatars have fled the peninsula since 2014.
For Ukraine, regaining Crimea remains a central war objective. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly declared that the peninsula is Ukrainian territory and will be reclaimed.
But with Russia’s continued territorial advances and the geopolitical deadlock between Kyiv and Moscow, Crimea’s future remains one of the most contentious issues of this war—and potentially the key to achieving lasting peace in the region.
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