Moscow, Mar 17 (EFE).- A decade ago, Russia completed the annexation of Crimea, a move that, though bloodless, ignited the ongoing Ukraine war, fulfilling the Kremlin’s long-held ambitions for revenge.<\/p>
Crimea was back in Russia on March 18, 2014, when President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty at the Kremlin, formally annexing the peninsula and the port of Sevastopol into the Russian Federation.<\/p>
Over the past decade, the escalating tensions between Russia and the West, which recognizes Crimea as Ukrainian territory, have brought Europe perilously close to an armed conflict.<\/p>
The Kremlin found a convenient pretext in the Maidan, the European-oriented revolution that erupted in November 2013, culminating in the overthrow of pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.<\/p>
Encouraged by Russian subversive groups linked to intelligence services\u2014such as Igor Strelkov, a key figure in the armed uprising in Donbas, who confessed to collaborating with Crimean leader Sergei Aksyonov\u2014the peninsula’s authorities called for a referendum to secede from Ukraine.<\/p>
To prevent Kyiv from obstructing the free expression of popular will, Putin authorized the deployment of Russian troops, effectively neutralizing the Ukrainian military presence.<\/p>
EFE witnessed Russian soldiers being stationed in Simferopol, the Crimean capital, ensuring the suppression of any dissent, particularly among the Tatar minority, which faced severe repression.<\/p>
The subsequent step was a historic referendum in which Crimea voted to sever ties with Ukraine\u2014a territory it had been part of since 1954\u2014an exercise of self-determination not recognized by Putin in cases like Chechnya or Tatarstan.<\/p>
On March 16, Crimeans faced a ballot offering two options: reunification with Russia or maintaining Crimea’s status within Ukraine.<\/p>
The outcome was overwhelming, with 96.5 percent of Crimeans\u2014over 80 percent of whom were ethnic Russians\u2014opting for joining the Russian Federation.<\/p>
Putin endorsed the charade, approving Crimea’s brief declaration of independence and formalizing the annexation on March 18.<\/p>
The rest is history.<\/p>
According to the Kremlin, Putin had repeatedly cautioned the West that recognizing Kosovo’s independence would embolden the separatist movements \u2014 a prediction that seemed to materialize with Crimea.<\/p>
In response, the West condemned the illegal annexation and imposed extensive international sanctions on Russia.<\/p>
Rewriting history<\/p>
To garner support and counter the accusations of violating international law, the Kremlin ventured into the realm of history, a domain where it feels assured.<\/p>
The ruling United Russia party proposed a bill this week to invalidate Crimea’s transfer to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in February 1954, decrying it as an arbitrary decision made by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev of Ukrainian descent.<\/p>
Coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the annexation, a rally is scheduled in Red Square, possibly attended by Putin, who may use the occasion to celebrate his presumed reelection for a fifth presidential term.<\/p>
Springboard for invasion<\/p>
While Crimea’s return triggered jubilation among Russians\u201486 percent still support the annexation, according to recent polls\u2014the annexation prompted concerns about Moscow’s intentions towards other Ukrainian regions with significant Russian-speaking populations, particularly the east.<\/p>
Despite Putin’s assurances that Russia did not want to divide Ukraine, Crimea served as a launchpad for pro-Russian uprisings in the Donbas region.<\/p>
It facilitated the current military campaign, which led to a direct land corridor between mainland Russia and the peninsula, previously linked only by a bridge. EFE<\/p>
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