Timeline of the 2014 Crimean crisis

The annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation took place in the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. On 22–23 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin convened an all-night meeting with security services chiefs to discuss extrication of deposed President, Viktor Yanukovych, and at the end of that meeting Putin remarked that "we must start working on returning Crimea to Russia.". Russia sent in soldiers on February 27, 2014. Crimea held a referendum. According to official Russian and Crimean sources 95% voted to reunite with Russia. The legitimacy of the referendum has been questioned by the international community on both legal and procedural grounds.

Members of the Sevastopol City Council petitioned to the President Viktor Yanukovych to take stringent measures and bring to justice leaders of the opposition. "Leaders of opposition should be held criminally liable for inciting armed confrontation", – stated in the declaration. In Simferopol, activists of "Stop Maidan" were commemorating Crimean law enforcement agents who perished in conflict in Kiev. In Yalta, over 50 activists came out on anti-government protest and support for Euromaidan.

Speaker of the Supreme Council of Crimea, Vladimir Konstantinov announced that he does not exclude possibility of secession of Crimea from Ukraine if the situation in the country will worsen. The head of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Refat Chubarov was resentful to the announcement and said that Konstantinov who is currently in Moscow openly invited Russian security forces to intervene in Crimean situation.

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