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Chronicle of the occupation

February 20, 2014 is the date of the beginning of the armed aggression, when the first cases of illegal crossing of the state border of Ukraine by the Armed Forces of the russian Federation in the area of ​​the Kerch Strait and its use of its military formations stationed in Crimea to block Ukrainian military units were recorded. Actually, this date was later recorded in Ukrainian legislation, and it also appears on the departmental medal of the Ministry of Defense of russia “For the return of Crimea”.

February 23, 2014 – the largest rally of pro-russian forces in Sevastopol. For the first time calls were heard from the podium not to recognize the Ukrainian government, the so-called “people’s mayor” of Sevastopol – russian businessman Oleksiy Chaly was “elected”. On the same day, a rally was held in Moscow with calls for the division of Ukraine into three parts, the sending of russian “volunteers” to declare “Little russia” with the capital in Kharkiv.

On the morning of February 23, 2014, a mourning rally of Crimean Tatars was held in Sevastopol, near the building of the former prison, in which the head of the Government of the Crimean People’s Republic, Noman Chelebidzhikhan, was tortured by the Bolsheviks on February 23, 1918. At the mourning rally, together with the Crimean Tatar national flags, the state flags of Ukraine were flown. At the end of the rally, its participants went to the city of Simferopol, where at 1:00 p.m. a 15,000-strong rally began in memory of the politician and statesman, one of the organizers of the first Kurultai of the Crimean Tatar people, the Head of the Government of the Crimean People’s Republic Noman Chelebidzhikhan (1885 – February 23 1918) and against pro-russian separatism.

 

Фото: Крим.Реалії (RFE/RL)

On February 24, 2014, ships of the russian Navy, which were protecting the sea area in the area of ​​the Sochi Olympics, took on board units of russian servicemen in Novorossiysk, which were used to seize administrative buildings and block Ukrainian military units on the territory of the ARC and Sevastopol, military equipment and set course for Sevastopol.

February 26, 2014 – rallies under the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea: one by pro-russian organizations demanding autonomy within russia (about 2,000 participants), the other in defense of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, convened by the decision of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, in which about 12-15 thousand people, mostly Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians. It was possible to prevent the holding of the session of the Verkhovna Rada of the ARC, at which, according to the plan of the russian side, the separation from Ukraine was to be announced.

February 27, 2014 – russian soldiers without identification marks seized the houses of the ARC Verkhovna Rada and the ARC government in Simferopol.

February 27, 2014 – the Verkhovna Rada of the ARC, under the muzzles of russian servicemen from the 31st Assault Brigade of the russian Armed Forces, “voted” to hold the so-called “referendum on the status of Crimea”, appointed the representative of the “russian Unity” party Serhiy Aksyonov as the head of the Crimean government. Units of the Armed Forces of the russian Federation block Ukrainian military units and facilities on the peninsula. On the night of February 27 to 28, the Simferopol and Belbek airports, land entrances to Crimea from the Kherson region were blocked. On the same day, a combat readiness check of the troops of the Southern Military District of the russian Federation took place, in which up to 150,000 personnel, 90 planes, 120 helicopters and 880 tanks were involved.

Фото: Крим.Реалії (RFE/RL)

On March 1, 2014, the President of the russian Federation V. Putin sent a proposal to the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the russian Federation on the introduction of russian troops into Ukraine “to eliminate threats to the lives of citizens of the russian Federation, compatriots, personnel of the military contingent of the armed forces of the russian Federation stationed on the territory of Ukraine.” . The Federation Council unanimously supported the proposal. On the same day, russian shock units were deployed in the Rostov, Voronezh, Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions. A strike group was created in the Polissky, Slobozhansky, Donetsk and Crimea operational areas, which was in full combat readiness for the invasion of Ukraine until the end of May 2014.

On March 3, 2014, Reshat Ametov went to the building of the Council of Ministers in Simferopol with a single picket against the occupation of Crimea by russian troops. Later, he was stolen from the square by representatives of the “Crimean self-defense” and this was recorded by surveillance cameras. Reshat Ametov was no longer contacted. He was found dead on March 15 in the village of Zemlanyichne, Biloghir district, 60 km from Simferopol. There were numerous signs of torture on the man’s body, his head was tied with tape, his eyes were gouged out, and handcuffs lay next to him.

Beginning of March 2014, anti-war actions and women’s demonstrations against the occupation were held daily in various parts of Crimea. Demonstrations usually took place along the main transport routes and near the Ukrainian military units blocked by the russians.

Фото: Крим.Реалії (RFE/RL)

On March 9, 2014, a large pro-Ukrainian rally was held in Simferopol in honor of the 200th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko and against the illegal “referendum”. On the same day, representatives of the so-called “self-defense of Crimea” detained several activists.

On March 16, 2014, the so-called the referendum on the status of Crimea, which contradicted the Constitution of Ukraine and the fundamental norms of international law and was not recognized by the international community. The Crimean Tatars and the pro-Ukrainian population of the peninsula completely boycotted the event organized by russia at the decision of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people. On March 14, 2014, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine recognized as unconstitutional the resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, according to which the “referendum” was held.

On March 18, 2014, in Moscow, President of the russian Federation V. Putin, “Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea” Serhii Aksyonov, “Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of the Republic of Crimea” Volodymyr Konstantinov and “Chairman of the Coordinating Council for the Organization of Management to Ensure Vitality of Sevastopol” Oleksiy Chaly signed the call “Treaty on the admission of the Republic of Crimea to russia”.

On March 21, 2014, the President of the russian Federation V. Putin signed a decree on the ratification of this “agreement”.

On March 25, 2014, the last military unit flying the Ukrainian flag in Crimea was captured – the minesweeper of the Cherkasy Navy. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol are completely occupied by the russian Armed Forces.

Фото: Крим.Реалії (RFE/RL)