9 years ago Vladimir Putin started to tear Ukraine apart

On March 18, 2014, Putin signed the annexation treaty for “the reintegration of Crimea into the Russian Federation” — the strategic peninsula on the Black Sea was part of the USSR until its collapse, although it had belonged to the Ottoman Empire for centuries.

Today, it is the reintegration of Crimea into Ukraine that is at stake, with the authorities in Kiev setting its recovery as an objective, in the ongoing conflict that began with the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory in February 2022.

The “reintegration” into Russia followed an invasion by Russian forces in February 2014 – following the ousting of pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in Kiev – and a hasty “referendum” orchestrated by the Russian authorities, which concluded with 96.77% support for incorporation in Russia.

The results were not recognized by the international community. The Russian leader ratified the annexation law on March 21.

The ‘recipe’ for invasion, ‘lightning’ referendum and annexation was, incidentally, followed by the Kremlin also in September 2022 after the occupation of parts of the Ukrainian provinces of Kherson, Zaporijia, Donetsk and Lugansk.

On the eve of the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea, Russian President Vladimir Putin assured that Russia will do everything to prevent threats to the security of the peninsula and the port city of Sevastopol.

“Obviously, security problems are a priority for Crimea and Sevastopol, especially today” with the Russian war campaign in Ukraine at its doorstep, stressed the head of state on Friday during a videoconference on the socio-economic development of the peninsula.

Addressing Russia’s imposed leader in Crimea, Sergei Axionov, the Kremlin chief emphasized that nine years ago, residents of Crimea and Sevastopol made a “final and unequivocal historic decision: to become part of a single great country once again.” it’s forever”.

With the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russia managed to create a land corridor between Donbass, in the east of Ukraine, and Crimea, in the south, which needs hydrological resources for its survival.

The Sea of ​​Azov became an inland Russian sea, ensuring the security of Crimea, which also created a line of fortifications.

Over the past thirteen months, Crimea has however been the target of separate attacks attributed to Ukraine, including in August 2022 a sabotage operation against a Russian army arsenal and suspicious explosions at an airfield.

Last October, the Crimean bridge, inaugurated by Putin himself to link the occupied peninsula to Russia, was heavily damaged by an attack attributed by Moscow to Ukraine, but not claimed.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnulin also said on Friday that traffic on the bridge would soon be open to trucks and that the second railway would be reopened before July.

Ukraine has never ceased to insist that sooner or later it will liberate the occupied territory. In August 2021, Kiev launched the Crimean Platform, which seeks international support for the recovery of the peninsula and which this year called on Russia to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw its troops from the occupied territories.

On Thursday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry reiterated that Ankara does not recognize Russia’s “illegal annexation” of Crimea following “an illegitimate referendum held in violation of international law”.

The situation of the Crimean Tatar Turks, who are the territory’s indigenous people, is a Turkish priority, the ministry said.

“Turkey will continue to support our Crimean Tatar compatriots in their historic homeland of Crimea, preserving their identity and ensuring that they live in security and peace,” he added.

Other countries, such as Lithuania, issued declarations condemning the annexation of Crimea.

On February 26, to mark the beginning of the invasion of the territory, the US State Department issued a short note reiterating the recognition of Ukrainian sovereignty.

“The United States does not and will never recognize the alleged annexation of the peninsula by Russia. Crimea belongs to Ukraine,” Washington said.