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The political status of Crimea is the subject of a political and territorial dispute between Ukraine, that since its independence and until its last revolution possessed the peninsula, and Russia, that controls Crimea since the 2014 Crimean crisis. The Supreme Council of Crimea and the Sevastopol City Council declared independence in March 11 and acceded to Russia in March 18. Since March 21, 2014 Russia claims Crimea as a part of its territory. As of March 24, few UN states (except Russia itself) officially recognized the transfer of sovereignty over Crimea to Russia: these are Kazakhstan,, Kyrgyzstan, and possibly others. Leaders and top officials of several other UN states made announcements supportive to Russia, but the reaction of the international community to Crimea's incorporation to Russia is overwhelmingly negative.

History

Formerly annexed by the Russian Empire, Crimea was reoccupied by the Soviet Russia in 1921 and was granted the status of autonomous republic. After the World War II in 1945 the Soviet authorities deported the indigenous population of Crimean Tatars and the autonomous status of the region was stripped. In 1954, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union transferred the region to Ukraine. Ukraine restored Crimea's autonomous status in 1991 and allowed all Crimean Tatars to return. Crimea's autonomous status was further reiterated in 1996 with the ratification of Ukraine's current constitution, which declared Crimea to be the "Autonomous Republic of Crimea", but also an "inseparable constituent part of Ukraine."

2014 development

Republic of CrimeaРеспублика Крым Къырым Джумхуриети Республіка Крим
2014–2014
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Процветание в единстве" (Russian) Protsvetanie v yedinstve  (transliteration) "Prosperity in unity"
Anthem: "Нивы и горы твои волшебны, Родина" (Russian) Nivy i gory tvoi volshebny, Rodina  (transliteration) Your fields and mountains are magical, Motherland
Location of the Crimean peninsula (green) in Europe
Capital	Simferopol 44°57′N 34°06′E / 44.950°N 34.100°E / 44.950; 34.100
Common languages	Russian Ukrainian Crimean Tatar
Government	Republic
Legislature	Crimean Parliament
History
• Letter of intent	11 March 2014
• Referendum	16 March 2014
• Declaration of Independence	17 March 2014
• Recognition by Russia	17 March 2014
• Accession to Russia	18 March 2014
• Ratification	21 March 2014
Area
Total	26,100 km (10,100 sq mi)
2007	26,100 km (10,100 sq mi)
Population
• 2007	2,352,385
Preceded by Succeeded by Autonomous Republic of Crimea Sevastopol#After_the_Soviet_collapse Republic of Crimea Sevastopol

On March 11, 2014, amidst the 2014 Crimean crisis, the Crimean parliament and the Sevastopol City Council issued a letter of intent to unilaterally declare independence from Ukraine. The document specifically mentioned Kosovo as a precedent in the lead part.

The declaration was done in an attempt to legitimize a referendum on the status of Crimea where citizens were to vote on whether Crimea should apply to join Russia as a federal subject of the Russian Federation, or remain part of Ukraine. On March 16, 2014, a large majority (reported as 95% of those who voted) voted in favour of independence of Crimea from Ukraine and joining Russia as a federal subject. The BBC reported that most of the Crimean Tatars that they interviewed were boycotting the vote. Prime Minister Sergey Aksyonov stated that 40% of Crimean Tatars took part in the referendum, and according to Russian state media, polling data showed a majority of Tatars in Sevastopol voted to join Russia, with a turnout of over 50% in the city. The European Union, Japan and the United States condemned the vote as illegal.

After the referendum, Crimean lawmakers formally voted both to secede from Ukraine and ask for membership in the Russian Federation. Thus, the independent Republic of Crimea existed for a little more than a day. The Sevastopol City Council, however, requested the port's separate admission as a federal city.

On March 18, 2014, Russia and Crimea signed a treaty of accession, following which the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol were created in the Russian Federation following President Putin’s address to the Parliament. On March 21, 2014 the Russian Federation Council ratified the accession treaty, and President Vladimir Putin signed the treaty into effect that same day, with the accession backdated to March 18. During the transition period which will last till January 1, 2015, both sides will resolve the issues of integration of the new subjects “in the economic, financial, credit and legal system of the Russian Federation.”

Position of Ukraine

The recently installed government of Ukraine, along with most sovereign states in the world, did not recognize the Republic of Crimea's claim to sovereignty, nor the unification of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea with Sevastopol, nor the referendum that paved the way for Crimean secession.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2014)

Position of Russia

The Constitutional Court of Russia approved the accession of Crimea.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2014)

Views by the international community

On March 23, 2014, Belarus recognized Crimea as de facto part of Russia.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (March 2014)

See also

• List of shortest-lived sovereign states

References

1. Kazakhstan supported Russia on the ‘Crimean question’. qha.com.ua. 19 March 2014
2. Kyrgyzstan Recognizes Crimea Referendum Results. ria.ru. 20 March 2014.
3. "Constitution of Ukraine, 1996". Retrieved March 12, 2014.
4. ^ "Парламент Крыма принял Декларацию о независимости АРК и г. Севастополя". Государственный Совет Республики Крым. March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
5. Marie-Louise Gumuchian (March 17, 2014). "Crimea votes to break from Ukraine, join Russia. What happens next?". CNN. Retrieved March 17, 2014. On Monday, lawmakers in Crimea approved a resolution that declared the Black Sea peninsula an independent, sovereign state. They then filed an appeal to join the Russian Federation.
6. "Crimea votes to join Russian Federation: 96.77% say YES". RT. Crimea was declared an independent sovereign state, the Republic of Crimea, on Monday, the autonomous Ukrainian regional parliament's website stated. The Supreme Council of Crimea unanimously voted to integrate of the region into Russia.
7. "Putin signs laws on reunification of Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia". ITAR-TASS. March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
8. ^ BBC News - Crimea referendum: Voters 'back Russia union'
9. Crimeans vote over 90 percent to quit Ukraine for Russia | Reuters
10. "About 40% of Crimean Tatars take part in Crimean referendum – Prime Minister". ITAR-TASS. March 16, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
11. Japan does not recognise Crimea vote - govt spokesman | Reuters
12. "Lawmakers in Crimea Move Swiftly to Split From Ukraine". The New York Times. March 17, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
13. "Russian Federation Council ratifies treaty on Crimea's entry to Russia". ITAR TASS. March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
14. "Putin signs laws on reunification of Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia". ITAR TASS. March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
15. "Treaty to accept Crimea, Sevastopol to Russian Federation signed". Russia Today. March 18, 2014.
16. "Belarusian president: Crimea is de-facto part of Russia". Russia Today. March 23, 2014.

External links

• crimea.ru

• 2014 Crimean crisis
• Disputed territories in Europe
• Politics of Crimea
• States and territories established in 2014
• Secession in Ukraine