A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most sides. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula .
134-701: Crimea ( / k r aɪ ˈ m iː ə / kry- MEE -ə ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe , on the northern coast of the Black Sea , almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov . The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukraine . To the east, the Crimean Bridge , constructed in 2018, spans the Strait of Kerch , linking
268-469: A basin . This may create peninsulas, and occurred for example in the Keweenaw Peninsula . In the case of formation from meltwater, melting glaciers deposit sediment and form moraines , which act as dams for the meltwater. This may create bodies of water that surround the land, forming peninsulas. If deposition formed the peninsula, the peninsula was composed of sedimentary rock , which
402-511: A population census in the occupied Crimea, according to which there were 344,500 Ukrainians on the peninsula (15.7%), and the native language was Ukrainian for only 3.3% of the Crimean population. According to sociologist Iryna Bekeshkina , this reduction in the number of Ukrainians was due to the change in identification of part of the Ukrainian population from Ukrainians to Russians. After
536-529: A Ukrainian presidential advisor, called the damage a "beginning". The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine compared the destruction of the Crimean Bridge to the destruction of the cruiser Moskva : "What's next, Russkies?". The Russian authorities in the Crimea accused the Ukrainian side for what happened. Mikhail Razvozhayev , the head of annexed Sevastopol, said that on the morning of 29 October 2022,
670-420: A base from which to attack mainland Ukraine . The Ukrainian military has responded with attacks on Russian forces in Crimea . One of Russia's preconditions for ending the invasion has been the recognition of Russian sovereignty in Crimea, while one of Ukraine's goals is to liberate the territory, by military means if necessary. On the night of 26–27 February, 2014, Russian special forces seized and blocked
804-402: A disease, intolerance of minorities , restriction freedom of Speech , unfair justice , administrative pressure and intimidation dissenters . In November 2014, Andrey Illarionov , a former adviser to President of Russia Vladimir Putin , claimed that planning for a Russian invasion began long before Yanukovych's appeal. In January 2017, Ilya Ponomarev , a Russian politician and member of
938-594: A good natural harbor, great naval base and the largest city on the peninsula. At the head of Sevastopol Bay stands Inkermann /Kalamita. South of Sevastopol is the small Heracles Peninsula . South: In the south, between the Crimean Mountains and the sea runs a narrow coastal strip which was held by the Genoese and (after 1475) by the Turks. Under Russian rule it became a kind of riviera . In Soviet times
1072-535: A great slave-mart and a kind of capital for the Genoese and Turks. Unlike the other southern ports, Feodosia has no mountains to its north. At the east end of the 90 km (56 mi) Kerch Peninsula is Kerch / Panticapaeum , once the capital of the Bosporian Kingdom . Just south of Kerch the new Crimean Bridge (opened in 2018) connects Crimea to the Taman Peninsula . Sea of Azov: There
1206-555: A lawyer and former military man who served in the Balkans , Iraq and Afghanistan , Frank Ledwidge , told The Guardian that in September, Ukraine's commander- in-chief, General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, said that he saw Russia's "centre of gravity" – the key to the war – as Crimea. All military indicators strongly suggest that Ukraine's next offensives will set the peninsula as their objective. On 3 December 2022, it became known that
1340-506: A moderate continental climate with short but cold winters and moderately hot dry summers. In the central and mountainous areas the climate is transitional between the continental climate to the north and the Mediterranean climate to the south. Winters are mild at lower altitudes (in the foothills) and colder at higher altitudes. Summers are hot at lower altitudes and warm in the mountains. A subtropical, Mediterranean climate dominates
1474-527: A planned transition from the port of Odesa on the Black Sea to the port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov . The Ukrainian side informed in advance about the route in accordance with international standards to ensure the safety of navigation. In the area of the Kerch Strait , they were stopped by a Russian tanker, which blocked the passage under the Crimean Bridge built by the occupying authorities. Contrary to
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#17327656018011608-469: A press conference on the same day, Russian president Vladimir Putin said that Russia had no plans to annex Crimea. He also said that it had no plans to invade Ukraine, but that it might intervene if Russians in Ukraine were threatened. This was part of a pattern of public denials of the ongoing Russian military operation. Numerous media reports and statements by the Ukrainian and foreign governments noted
1742-763: A similar development of events back in 2008 during the Russo-Georgian War . Experts pointed out that the Russian Federation only needed a pretext to start annexing the peninsula. The events at the Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity became such an occasion. On 2 March 2014, in an address to the UN Security Council, Ukrainian Ambassador Yuri Sergeyev called on the international community to "do everything possible" to stop
1876-688: A tributary of the Salhyr), the Uchan-su , and the Ulu-Uzen'. The longest river of Crimea is the Salhyr at 204 km (127 mi). The Belbek has the greatest average discharge at 2.16 cubic metres per second (76 cu ft/s). The Alma and the Kacha are the second- and third-longest rivers. There are more than fifty salt lakes and salt pans on the peninsula. The largest of them is Lake Sasyk (Сасык) on
2010-742: Is a major waterway and transportation route that crosses the European continent from north to south and ultimately links the Black Sea with the Baltic Sea , of strategic importance since the historical trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks . The Black Sea serves as an economic thoroughfare connecting the Caucasus region and the Caspian Sea to central and Eastern Europe. According to
2144-537: Is flanked at a distance of 8–12 kilometres (5.0–7.5 mi) from the sea by a parallel range of mountains: the Crimean Mountains. These mountains are backed by secondary parallel ranges . The main range of these mountains rises with extraordinary abruptness from the deep floor of the Black Sea to an altitude of 600–1,545 metres (1,969–5,069 ft), beginning at the southwest point of the peninsula, called Cape Fiolent . Some Greek myths state that this cape
2278-591: Is from the Italian form, la Crimea , since at least the 17th century and the "Crimean peninsula" becomes current during the 18th century, gradually replacing the classical name of Tauric Peninsula in the course of the 19th century. In English usage since the early modern period the Crimean Khanate is referred to as Crim Tartary . Today, the Crimean Tatar name of the peninsula is Qırım , while
2412-625: Is little on the south shore. The west shore is marked by the Arabat Spit . Behind it is the Syvash or "Putrid Sea", a system of lakes and marshes which in the far north extend west to the Perekop Isthmus. Road- and rail-bridges cross the northern part of Syvash. Interior: Most of the former capitals of Crimea stood on the north side of the mountains. Mangup /Doros (Gothic, Theodoro). Bakhchysarai (1532–1783). Southeast of Bakhchysarai
2546-544: Is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea and on the western coast of the Sea of Azov ; the only land border is shared with Ukraine's Kherson Oblast on the north. Crimea is almost an island and only connected to the continent by the Isthmus of Perekop , a strip of land about 5–7 kilometres (3.1–4.3 mi) wide. Much of the natural border between the Crimean Peninsula and the Ukrainian mainland comprises
2680-744: Is rare for the weather to drop below freezing except in the mountains, where there is usually snow. In July mean temperatures range from 15.4 °C (59.7 °F) in Ai-Petri to 23.4 °C (74.1 °F) in the central parts of Crimea to 24.4 °C (75.9 °F) in Myskhor. The frost-free period ranges from 160 to 200 days in the steppe and mountain regions to 240–260 days on the south coast. Precipitation in Crimea varies significantly based on location; it ranges from 310 millimetres (12.2 in) in Chornomorske to 1,220 millimetres (48.0 in) at
2814-488: Is the cliff-fort of Chufut-Kale /Qirq Or which was used in more warlike times. Simferopol /Ak-Mechet, the modern capital. Karasu-Bazar /Bilohorsk was a commercial center. Solkhat/ Staryi Krym was the old Tatar capital. Towns on the northern steppe area are all modern, notably Dzhankoi , a major road- and rail-junction. Rivers: The longest is the Salhyr , which rises southeast of Simferopol and flows north and northeast to
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#17327656018012948-703: The Financial Times published an article based on the head of the Ukrainian Centre for Security and Cooperation, Serhii Kuzan, in which it was noted that the return of the city of Kherson would allow the Armed Forces of Ukraine to keep under fire control three important roads, in particular to Crimea, from where the Russians supply equipment and ammunition. A little earlier, in November 2022,
3082-775: The Autonomous Republic of Crimea . A 1997 treaty partitioned the Soviet Black Sea Fleet , allowing Russia to continue basing its fleet in Sevastopol, with the lease extended in 2010. In 2014, Crimea saw demonstrations against the removal of the Russia-leaning Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych in Kyiv and protests in support of Euromaidan . Ukrainian historian Volodymyr Holovko estimates 26 February protest in support of
3216-650: The Byzantine Empire (341–1204 CE), the Empire of Trebizond (1204–1461 CE), and the independent Principality of Theodoro (ended 1475 CE). In the 13th century, some Crimean port cities were controlled by the Venetians and by the Genovese , but the interior was much less stable, enduring a long series of conquests and invasions . In the medieval period, it was partially conquered by Kievan Rus' whose prince
3350-598: The Chonhar Peninsula , which separate Crimea from the Ukrainian mainland. Within hours, Ukraine had been cut off from Crimea. Shortly afterwards, Ukrainian TV channels became unavailable for Crimean viewers, and some of them were replaced with Russian stations. On 1 March 2014, Aksyonov said that he would exercise control of all Ukrainian military and security installations on the peninsula. He also asked Putin for "assistance in ensuring peace and tranquillity" in Crimea. Putin promptly received authorisation from
3484-586: The Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination by restricting school classes in the Ukrainian language in occupied Crimea. Russia has been accused of neocolonialism and colonization in Crimea by enforced Russification , passportization , and by settling Russian citizens on the peninsula and forcing out Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars . In the fall of 2014, the Russian authorities conducted
3618-667: The Federation Council of Russia for a Russian military intervention in Ukraine until the "political-social situation in the country is normalized". Putin's swift manoeuvre prompted protests of some Russian intelligentsia and demonstrations in Moscow against a Russian military campaign in Crimea. By 2 March, Russian troops moving from the country's naval base in Sevastopol and reinforced by troops, armour, and helicopters from mainland Russia exercised complete control over
3752-551: The International Transport Workers' Federation , as of 2013 there were at least 12 operating merchant seaports in Crimea. In 2016 Crimea had Nominal GDP of US$ 7 billion and US$ 3,000 per capita. The main branches of the modern Crimean economy are agriculture and fishing oysters pearls, industry and manufacturing, tourism, and ports. Industrial plants are situated for the most part in the southern coast (Yevpatoria, Sevastopol, Feodosia, Kerch) regions of
3886-504: The President of Ukraine . Both Aksyonov and speaker Vladimir Konstantinov stated that they viewed Viktor Yanukovych as the de jure president of Ukraine , through whom they were able to ask Russia for assistance. The parliament also voted to hold a referendum on greater autonomy set for 25 May. The troops had cut all of the building's communications, and took MPs' phones as they entered. No independent journalists were allowed inside
4020-735: The Russian Empire annexed Crimea . Crimea's strategic position led to the 1854 Crimean War and many short lived regimes following the 1917 Russian Revolution . When the Bolsheviks secured Crimea, it became an autonomous soviet republic within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic . It was occupied by Germany during World War II . When the Soviets retook it in 1944, Crimean Tatars were ethnically cleansed and deported under
4154-588: The Russians brought packaging material to the central museums of occupied Crimea and began preparing collections and exhibits for export to the Russian Federation. On 19 January 2023, during the Ukrainian breakfast in Davos , Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the goal of Ukraine is to de-occupy all territories temporarily seized by Russia and called on the Western world to provide heavy weapons for this. During
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4288-909: The Russo-Ukrainian War . This military occupation, which the Ukrainian government considers to have begun on 20 February, laid the foundation for the Russian annexation of Crimea on 18 March 2014. Under Russia , the Ukrainian Autonomous Republic of Crimea was replaced by the Republic of Crimea , though the legitimacy of the latter is scarcely recognized internationally. The occupation began during Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity , which ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych . Russian special forces without insignia took control of Crimea's government buildings , surrounded Ukrainian military bases, and blockaded
4422-597: The Strait of Kerch as the Κιμμερικὸς Βόσπορος ( Kimmerikos Bosporos , romanized spelling: Bosporus Cimmerius ), its easternmost part as the Κιμμέριον Ἄκρον ( Kimmerion Akron , Roman name: Promontorium Cimmerium), as well as to the city of Cimmerium and thence the name of the Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus (Κιμμερικοῦ Βοσπόρου). The recorded history of Crimea begins around 5th century BCE when several Greek colonies were established on its south coast ,
4556-693: The Syvash or "Rotten Sea", a large system of shallow lagoons stretching along the western shore of the Sea of Azov. Besides the isthmus of Perekop, the peninsula is connected to the Kherson Oblast's Henichesk Raion by bridges over the narrow Chonhar and Henichesk straits and over Kerch Strait to the Krasnodar Krai . The northern part of Arabat Spit is administratively part of Henichesk Raion in Kherson Oblast, including its two rural communities of Shchaslyvtseve and Strilkove . The eastern tip of
4690-559: The University of Cambridge , believes that a compromise regarding Crimea is unlikely: The idea that somehow Ukraine should just go back to the status quo post-2014 is foolish because all that will happen is another escalation. It is hard to imagine Ukrainians being comfortable with giving up this territory, knowing this means the abandonment of millions of people. The moral and geopolitical stakes of such an abandonment are grave. [REDACTED] Media related to Annexation of Crimea by
4824-660: The building of the Supreme Council of Crimea and the building of the Council of Ministers in Simferopol . Russian flags were raised over these buildings and barricades were erected outside them. Russian forces also occupied several localities in Kherson Oblast on the Arabat Spit , which is geographically a part of Crimea. Whilst the " little green men " were occupying the Crimean parliament building,
4958-514: The early modern period , Crimea has historically been at the boundary between the classical world and the steppe . Greeks colonized its southern fringe and were absorbed by the Roman and Byzantine Empires and successor states while remaining culturally Greek. Some cities became trading colonies of Genoa , until conquered by the Ottoman Empire . Throughout this time the interior
5092-572: The 16th century. A peninsula is generally defined as a piece of land surrounded on most sides by water. A peninsula may be bordered by more than one body of water, and the body of water does not have to be an ocean or a sea. A piece of land on a very tight river bend or one between two rivers is sometimes said to form a peninsula, for example in the New Barbadoes Neck in New Jersey , United States. A peninsula may be connected to
5226-435: The Crimean Peninsula. Russian troops operated in Crimea without insignia. On 3 March they blockaded Southern Naval Base . On 4 March, Ukrainian General Staff said there were units of the 18th Motor Rifle Brigade , 31st Air Assault Brigade and 22nd Spetsnaz Brigade deployed and operating in Crimea, instead of Russian Black Sea Fleet personnel, which violated international agreements signed by Ukraine and Russia. At
5360-758: The Crimean Tartars and several other nationalities to elsewhere in the USSR. The autonomous republic was dissolved in 1945, and Crimea became an oblast of the Russian SFSR. It was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR in 1954, on the 300th anniversary of the Treaty of Pereyaslav . With the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Ukrainian independence in 1991 most of the peninsula was reorganized as
5494-566: The Crimean peninsula comprises the Kerch Peninsula , separated from Taman Peninsula on the Russian mainland by the Kerch Strait , which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, at a width of between 3–13 kilometres (1.9–8.1 mi). Geographers generally divide the peninsula into three zones: the steppe , the Crimean Mountains , and the Southern Coast . Given its long history and many conquerors, most towns in Crimea have several names. West: The Isthmus of Perekop / Perekop / Or Qapi , about 7 km (4 mi) wide, connects Crimea to
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5628-455: The Crimean steppes. The terrain that lies south of the sheltering Crimean Mountain range is of an altogether different character. Here, the narrow strip of coast and the slopes of the mountains are covered with greenery. This "riviera" stretches along the southeast coast from capes Fiolent and Aya , in the south, to Feodosia. There are many summer sea-bathing resorts such as Alupka , Yalta , Gurzuf , Alushta , Sudak , and Feodosia . During
5762-405: The Great's incorporation of the Crimea in 1783 into the Russian Empire increased Russia's power in the Black Sea area. From 1853 to 1856, the strategic position of the peninsula in controlling the Black Sea meant that it was the site of the principal engagements of the Crimean War , where Russia lost to a French-led alliance. During the Russian Civil War , Crimea changed hands many times and
5896-419: The Law of Ukraine "On Ensuring the Rights and Freedoms of Citizens and the Legal Regime in the Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine", the territory of the Crimean Peninsula is considered temporarily occupied territory as a result of Russian occupation. On 25 November 2018, three ships of the Ukrainian Navy – two small armored artillery boats, Berdyansk and Nikopol , and the tug Yany Kapu – carried out
6030-557: The Russian Ministry of Education of the Crimea, in the 2018/2019 school year in the Crimea, out of 200,700 children, only 249 (0.2%) studied in the Ukrainian language, there was one Ukrainian-language school and 5 schools with 8 classes with the Ukrainian language of instruction. According to the report of the Crimean human rights group in 2019, not a single school remained in Crimea with the Ukrainian language of instruction, and there were even fewer Ukrainian-language classes than officially claimed. Ukrainian historians and politicians assumed
6164-466: The Russian act of aggression. He stressed that the number of Russian troops in Crimea is growing "by the hour." Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said "colder heads must prevail" and the West must stop escalating the conflict by encouraging the protesters. US Ambassador Samantha Power told the session that Russia allowing the use of force is "dangerous and destabilizing." On 2 March 2014, The Wall Street Journal indicated that Putin's actions had brought
6298-516: The Russian authorities during the 4 years of occupation. All this creates grounds for further fundamental changes in the ethnic structure of the peninsula. After the occupation of Crimea, Ukrainians became one of the ethnic communities of the peninsula most discriminated against by the occupying Russian authorities. The occupying power persecutes Ukrainian public figures, carries out anti-Ukrainian propaganda, makes xenophobic and chauvinist statements, persecutes Ukrainian religious communities, bans
6432-409: The Russian authorities, denies the persecution of Ukrainians on the peninsula, participates in official events of the local occupation authorities, holds several congresses of the Ukrainian diaspora in Crimea, and created the Ukrainian-language website "Pereyaslavska rada 2.0". According to historian Andrii Ivanets and journalists of the Krim.Realii project, in fact this organization does not care about
6566-431: The Russian is Крым ( Krym ), and the Ukrainian is Крим ( Krym ). The city Staryi Krym ('Old Crimea'), served as a capital of the Crimean province of the Golden Horde . Between 1315 and 1329 CE, the Arab writer Abū al-Fidā recounted a political fight in 1300–1301 CE which resulted in a rival's decapitation and his head being sent "to the Crimea", apparently in reference to the peninsula, although some sources hold that
6700-466: The Russian position. According to the statements of Mykhailo Podoliak and David Arakhamia after the negotiations, Ukraine proposed to freeze the issue of the status of Crimea for 15 years, proposed the conclusion of an international treaty on security guarantees, which would be signed and ratified by all countries acting as guarantors of Ukraine's security. But the negotiation process was suspended in May 2022. On 9 August 2022, explosions occurred at
6834-414: The Saky military airfield in Crimea. As a result of a fire and explosions at the airfield used as the main air force base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet , from 7 to 11 Su-24 and Su-30SM aircraft were destroyed. On 7 September 2022, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi announced that it had launched a missile attack on the airfield. On 23 August 2022, due to
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#17327656018016968-408: The Sea of Azov. The Alma flows west to reach the Black Sea between Yevpatoria and Sevastopol. The shorter Chornaya flows west to Sevastopol Bay. Nearby: East of the Kerch Strait the Ancient Greeks founded colonies at Phanagoria (at the head of Taman Bay ), Hermonassa (later Tmutarakan and Taman ), Gorgippia (later a Turkish port and now Anapa). At the northeast point of the Sea of Azov at
7102-663: The Soviets replaced it with Krym ( Ukrainian : Крим ; Russian : Крым ) depriving it of official status since 1921, it is still used by some institutions in Crimea, such as the Taurida National University established by the Crimean Regional Government in 1918, the Tavriya Simferopol football club so named in 1963, and the Tavrida federal highway being built under Russian occupation from 2017. Other suggestions either unsupported or contradicted by sources, apparently based on similarity in sound, include: Strabo ( Geography vii 4.3, xi. 2.5), Polybius , ( Histories 4.39.4), and Ptolemy ( Geographia . II, v 9.5) refer variously to
7236-472: The State Duma of Russia (Fair Russia faction), claimed that the leadership of the annexation of Crimea was entrusted to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Vladimir Putin's aide Vladislav Surkov. On 17 December 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine recalled that Russia's actions in Crimea and Donbas fully fall under the definition of aggression in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 1976: Since 2014, Ukraine has been constantly qualifying
7370-433: The Supreme Council of Crimea and the Council of Ministers of Crimea. Russian forces purporting to be "Crimean militia" seized other administrative buildings, airports in Simferopol and Sevastopol, communications facilities, the mass media, etc. autonomy of Crimea 25 May 2014 – on the day of the presidential elections in Ukraine. At the same time, the presence of a quorum is doubtful, since the media were not allowed to attend
7504-436: The Treaty of 18 March and a law on the formation of new subjects of the federation — the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol , securing the annexation of these regions by Russia. On 27 March 2014, the United Nations General Assembly supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine, recognizing Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol as its integral parts. 100 UN member states out of 194 voted for
7638-425: The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on Cooperation in the Use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, the border ships of the Russian Federation (patrol border boats of the Sobol type, the Don PSKR, the Mongoose type boats, the Suzdalets MPK) committed aggressive actions against the ships of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The border ship "Don" rammed
7772-431: The Ukrainian language on the peninsula was made optional, and its use in official records was stopped altogether. The number of students with Ukrainian language of instruction continues to decrease. According to official Russian statistics, 12,892 students studied Ukrainian in the 2016/2017 academic year, and 6,400 students in the 2017/2018 academic year. At the same time, according to Ukrainian and international observers,
7906-454: The Ukrainian military attacked ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation and civilian vessels. According to him, it was the most massive drone attack in the entire history of the war, and the ships are damaged. The Russian Ministry of Defense accused the Royal Navy of preparing an attack on Sevastopol, which is allegedly located in Ochakiv of Mykolaiv Oblast . Both Ukraine and Britain have rejected Russian allegations, with
8040-414: The Ukrainian military in the Kherson Oblast gives hope for the liberation of the peninsula temporarily occupied by Russia. On 8 October, a fire broke out on the Crimean Bridge in Kerch , the occupation authorities of the peninsula accused Ukraine of undermining the crossing . The Ukrainian government's official Twitter account tweeted "sick burn" in response to the fire, while Mykhailo Podoliak ,
8174-419: The Ukrainian tug, as a result of which the ship's main engine, plating and railing were damaged, and a life raft was lost. Dispatching service refused to ensure the right of freedom of navigation, guaranteed by international agreements. The Russians captured the three Ukrainian ships and 24 sailors, 6 of whom were wounded. In Ukraine, on the same day, an urgent meeting of the National Security and Defense Council
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#17327656018018308-420: The United Kingdom saying Russia is "peddling false claims of an epic scale." On the same day, Russia announced that it was suspending participation in the implementation of the grain agreement allegedly because of the "terrorist attack" in the Sevastopol Bay . After the return of control by the government of Ukraine to the right-bank Kherson, Mykolaiv Oblasts and the city of Kherson in November 2022,
8442-428: The Western world, while supporting Ukraine , fears that any Ukrainian counteroffensive in Crimea could prompt Vladimir Putin to take decisive action, potentially even using nuclear weapons . Some Western officials hope that an agreement on Ukraine's renunciation of Crimea in favor of Russia can become the basis for a diplomatic end to the war. Rory Finnin, an associate professor at the Department of Ukrainian Studies at
8576-429: The action of internal political or socio-economic factors". In March 2015, retired Russian Admiral Igor Kasatonov [ ru ] stated that according to his information the Russian troop deployment in Crimea included six helicopter landings and three landings of an IL-76 with 500 people. On 16 March 2014, a referendum status of Crimea was held by Russia, where, according to official Russian data, 96.77% of
8710-426: The activities of Ukrainian public and political organizations, restricts the use of the Ukrainian language and Ukrainian national symbols. Thus, as early as the first half of 2014, Ukrainian-language signs were replaced with Russian ones, in April 2014, the monument to Petro Sahaydachny and a commemorative sign in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Ukrainian Navy were dismantled in Sevastopol, in August 2014, it
8844-462: The air of the ABC TV channel that he was ready to discuss the issues of Crimea and Donbas , but as part of Ukraine. On 29 March 2022, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Mykhailo Podoliak , proposed to negotiate the status of Crimea and Sevastopol for 15 years. At the same time, both Moscow and Kyiv should refrain from resolving this issue by military means throughout this period. Vladimir Medinsky , in turn, said that this does not correspond to
8978-400: The annexation. These actions were immediately declared illegal by the Ukrainian interim government. On the same day, more troops in unmarked uniforms, assisted this time by what appeared to be local Berkut riot police (as well as Russian troops from the 31st Separate Airborne Assault Brigade dressed in Berkut uniforms), established security checkpoints on the Isthmus of Perekop and
9112-526: The armed occupation of parliament it was unclear how many MPs were present. The head of parliament's information and analysis department, Olha Sulnikova, had phoned from inside the parliamentary building to journalists and had told them 61 of the registered 64 deputies had voted for the referendum resolution and 55 for the resolution to dismiss the government. Donetsk People's Republic separatist Igor Girkin said in January 2015 that Crimean members of parliament were held at gunpoint, and were forced to support
9246-453: The building while the votes were taking place. Some MPs said they were being threatened and that votes were cast for them and other MPs, even though they were not in the chamber. Interfax-Ukraine reported "it is impossible to find out whether all the 64 members of the 100-member legislature who were registered as present at when the two decisions were voted on or whether someone else used the plastic voting cards of some of them" because due to
9380-429: The case of Florida , continental drift, marine sediment, and marine transgressions were all contributing factors to its shape. In the case of formation from glaciers (e.g., the Antarctic Peninsula or Cape Cod ), peninsulas can be created due to glacial erosion , meltwater or deposition . If erosion formed the peninsula, softer and harder rocks were present, and since the glacier only erodes softer rock, it formed
9514-519: The case of Russia's violation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and adopted a decision according to which Russia should provide opportunities for teaching in the Ukrainian language on the peninsula. According to the UN, in the 2017/2018 school year, there were 318 students in Crimea who studied in Ukrainian. Before the occupation, there were 7 Ukrainian schools in Crimea, but by 2018 all of them were translated into Russian. According to official data of
9648-661: The collapse of the horde but quite rapidly itself became subject to the Ottoman Empire , which also conquered the coastal areas which had kept independent of the Khanate. A major source of prosperity in these times were frequents raids into Russia for slaves . In 1774, the Ottoman Empire was defeated by Catherine the Great with the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca making the Tatars of the Crimea politically independent. Catherine
9782-683: The country's sovereignty . The United States and United Kingdom accused Russia of breaking the terms of the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances , by which Russia, the US, and the UK had reaffirmed their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. The Russian government said the Budapest Memorandum did not apply due to "circumstances resulting from
9916-470: The country's military actions in Crimea were undertaken by forces of the Black Sea Fleet and were justified by "threat to lives of Crimean civilians" and danger of "takeover of Russian military infrastructure by extremists ". Ukraine complained that by increasing its troop presence in Crimea, Russia violated the agreement under which it headquartered its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol and violated
10050-796: The early stages of the occupation, cities like Simferopol , Yalta and Sevastopol became the scene of pro-Ukrainian protests of different sizes, most notably a mass protest on 26 February 2014, where tensions arose between approximately 10,000 pro-Ukrainian protesters and a crowd of roughly 5,000 pro-Russian demonstrators in front of the regional administration building in Simferopol . During Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine , militant pro-Ukrainian partisan movements started to organize in Russian-occupied Eastern and Southern Ukraine . Since then, Crimean partisan cells have been involved in acts of sabotage , arson , assassinations , vandalism and psychological warfare on
10184-476: The end of spring, perhaps a little earlier." On 6 October 2022, the administration of President of the United States Joe Biden assessed the likelihood of the liberation of Crimea by the Ukrainian military, noting that de-occupation for Ukraine is already quite possible. That is why such a scenario of events can no longer be discounted. The official emphasized that the pace of advancement of
10318-605: The end of this year, and by mid-2023 the Defense Forces can enter the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea. On 30 September 2022, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense , Kyrylo Budanov , stated that "Ukraine will return to the occupied Crimea – this will happen with weapons and pretty soon. The liberation of Crimea will not take place in the summer, but before
10452-517: The entry of Ukrainian troops to the state border in 1991, the liberation of the previously occupied territories of Ukraine, including Donbas and Crimea from the Russians. On 28 September 2022, the commander of the US Army in Europe , retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges , is convinced that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be able to push the Russian military back to their positions on 23 February by
10586-559: The flow of water was restored however the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam could lead to problems with water supply again. Seventy-five percent of the remaining area of Crimea consists of semiarid prairie lands, a southward continuation of the Pontic–Caspian steppe, which slope gently to the northwest from the foothills of the Crimean Mountains. Numerous kurgans , or burial mounds , of the ancient Scythians are scattered across
10720-553: The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the second summit of the Crimea Platform was held online. The event was attended by more than 60 participants – leaders of countries and international organizations. They made statements in support of Ukraine. On 29 August 2022, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russian-Ukrainian war would end exactly where it began in 2014 – with
10854-403: The highest altitudes in the Crimean mountains. The Crimean mountains greatly influence the amount of precipitation present in the peninsula. However, most of Crimea (88.5%) receives 300 to 500 millimetres (11.8 to 19.7 in) of precipitation per year. The plains usually receive 300 to 400 millimetres (11.8 to 15.7 in) of precipitation per year, increasing to 560 millimetres (22.0 in) in
10988-899: The identity of the unmarked troops as Russian soldiers, but Russian officials concealed the identity of their forces, claiming they were local "self-defence" units over whom they had no authority. As late as 17 April, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that there were no "excessive Russian troops" in Ukraine. At the same press conference, Putin said of the peninsula that "only citizens themselves, in conditions of free expression of will and their security can determine their future". Putin later acknowledged that he had ordered "work to bring Crimea back into Russia" as early as February. He also acknowledged that in early March there were "secret opinion polls" held in Crimea, which, according to him, reported overwhelming popular support for Crimea's incorporation into Russia. Russia eventually admitted its troops' presence. Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu said
11122-666: The inhabitants of the (Autonomous) Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol voted for the reunification of the respective territories with the Russian Federation. On 17 March, the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Crimea , and on 18 March, in the Georgievsky Hall of the Kremlin , President of Russia Vladimir Putin , together with
11256-732: The integrity of Ukraine in Simferopol at 12,000 people, opposed by several thousand pro-Russian protesters. On 27 February, Russian forces occupied parliament and government buildings and other strategic points in Crimea and the Russian-organized Republic of Crimea declared independence from Ukraine following an illegal and internationally unrecognized referendum . Russia then annexed Crimea, although most countries (100 votes in favour, 11 against, 58 abstentions) continued to recognize Crimea as part of Ukraine. Covering an area of 27,000 km (10,425 sq mi), Crimea
11390-542: The internationally illegal actions of the Russian Federation in Crimea and Donbas as an act of aggression. We clearly and consistently prove that such actions of the Russian Federation fully fall within the definition of aggression in accordance with paragraphs a), b), c), d), e) and g) of Article 3 of the Annex to UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX) "Definition aggression", adopted 45 years ago. On 11 December 2022, The Washington Post published an article reporting that
11524-714: The largest are the Simferopolskoye, Alminskoye, the Taygansky and the Belogorsky just south of Bilohirsk in Bilohirsk Raion . The North Crimea Canal , which transports water from the Dnieper , is the largest of the man-made irrigation channels on the peninsula. Crimea was facing an unprecedented water shortage crisis following the blocking of the canal by Ukraine in 2014. After the 2022 Russian invasion,
11658-477: The mainland via an isthmus , for example, in the Isthmus of Corinth which connects to the Peloponnese peninsula. Peninsulas can be formed from continental drift , glacial erosion , glacial meltwater , glacial deposition , marine sediment , marine transgressions , volcanoes, divergent boundaries or river sedimentation. More than one factor may play into the formation of a peninsula. For example, in
11792-608: The mainland. It was often fortified and sometimes garrisoned by the Turks. The North Crimean Canal now crosses it to bring water from the Dnieper. To the west Karkinit Bay separates the Tarkhankut Peninsula from the mainland. On the north side of the peninsula is Chernomorskoe /Kalos Limen . On the south side is the large Donuzlav Bay and the port and ancient Greek settlement of Yevpatoria /Kerkinitis/Gözleve. The coast then runs south to Sevastopol / Chersonesus ,
11926-489: The many palaces were replaced with dachas and health resorts. From west to east are: Heracles Peninsula ; Balaklava /Symbalon/Cembalo, a smaller natural harbor south of Sevastopol; Foros , the southernmost point; Alupka with the Vorontsov Palace (Alupka) ; Gaspra ; Yalta ; Gurzuf ; Alushta . Further east is Sudak /Sougdia/Soldaia with its Genoese fort. Further east still is Theodosia/Kaffa/ Feodosia , once
12060-458: The meeting. The Russian saboteur Igor Girkin , on the air of one of the Russian TV programs, admitted that the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to vote for the decision on the separation of Crimea from Ukraine were forcibly driven away by the so-called "militia", and he personally was one of the commanders of this "militia". Soon, the date of the referendum
12194-727: The most important of which was Chersonesos near modern-day Sevastopol , with Scythians and Tauri in the hinterland to the north. The Tauri gave the name the Tauric Peninsula, which Crimea was called into the early modern period . The southern coast gradually consolidated into the Bosporan Kingdom which was annexed by Pontus in Asia Minor and later became a client kingdom of Rome from 63 BCE to 341 CE. The south coast remained Greek in culture for almost two thousand years including under Roman successor states,
12328-609: The mouth of the Don River were Tanais , Azak/ Azov and now Rostov-on-Don . North of the peninsula the Dnieper turns westward and enters the Black Sea through the east–west Dnieper-Bug Estuary which also receives the Bug River. At the mouth of the Bug stood Olvia . At the mouth of the estuary is Ochakiv . Odesa stands where the coast turns southwest. Further southwest is Tyras /Akkerman/ Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi . The southeast coast
12462-569: The name of the capital was extended to the entire peninsula at some point during Ottoman suzerainty (1441–1783). The word Qırım is derived from the Turkic term qirum ("fosse, trench"), from qori- ("to fence, protect"). Another classical name for Crimea, Tauris or Taurica , is from the Greek Ταυρική ( Taurikḗ ), after the peninsula's Scytho-Cimmerian inhabitants, the Tauri . The name
12596-471: The occupation authorities detained a number of Ukrainian figures, in particular, Andriy Shchekun , Anatoliy Kovalskyi and others, some of the detainees were tortured. The Russian military seized most of the churches of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine —as of October 2018, 38 out of 46 Ukrainian parishes in Crimea stopped working. As of June 2019, only one OCU church remained in operation, but it
12730-407: The occupation, many ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars began to leave Crimea for mainland Ukraine. As of 15 August 2019, 40,733 displaced people from the occupied peninsula were officially registered on the mainland of Ukraine. In parallel with this, as the activists of the Crimean Tatar movement drew attention in 2018, several hundreds of thousands of Russians moved to Crimea with the assistance of
12864-612: The orders of Joseph Stalin , in what has been described as a cultural genocide. Crimea was downgraded to an oblast in 1945. In 1954, the USSR transferred the oblast to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on the 300th anniversary of the Pereyaslav Treaty in 1654. After Ukrainian independence in 1991, the central government and the Republic of Crimea clashed, with the region being granted more autonomy . The Soviet fleet in Crimea
12998-588: The parliament held an emergency session. It voted to terminate the Crimean government, and replace Prime Minister Anatolii Mohyliov with Sergey Aksyonov . Aksyonov belonged to the Russian Unity party, which received 4% of the vote in the last election. According to the Constitution of Ukraine , the Prime Minister of Crimea is appointed by the Supreme Council of Crimea in consultation with
13132-546: The peninsula the maritime influence is weak and does not play an important role. Because a high-pressure system is located north of Crimea in both summer and winter, winds predominantly come from the north and northeast year-round. In winter these winds bring in cold, dry continental air, while in summer they bring in dry and hot weather. Winds from the northwest bring warm and wet air from the Atlantic Ocean, causing precipitation during spring and summer. As well, winds from
13266-535: The peninsula with Krasnodar Krai in Russia . The Arabat Spit , located to the northeast, is a narrow strip of land that separates the Syvash lagoons from the Sea of Azov. Across the Black Sea to the west lies Romania and to the south is Turkey. The population is 2.4 million, and the largest city is Sevastopol . The region has been under Russian occupation since 2014 . Called the Tauric Peninsula until
13400-463: The peninsula. Members of the center were repeatedly detained by Russian law enforcement agencies for conducting events to celebrate Ukrainian commemorative dates, some of the participants were searched at home, several were held administratively liable by a Russian court, and they were persecuted for their views at the everyday level. In August 2017, the center started publishing the newspaper "Krymsky Teren" in Ukrainian and Russian. In 2015, after
13534-570: The peninsula. A pro-Russian government was installed and a referendum on Crimea's status was held under occupation. According to the Russian-installed authorities, the result was in favour of joining Russia. It annexed Crimea on 18 March 2014, re-organizing it as a Russian republic and turning Sevastopol into a Russian federal city . Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has used Crimea as
13668-519: The persecution of members of the UCC, the organization "Ukrainian Community of Crimea" was created, headed by Oleg Usyk, a member of " United Russia ", but it later ceased to exist. In 2018, a new legal public organization "Ukrainian Community of Crimea" was founded in Crimea, headed by Anastasia Hrydchyna, a member of the Young Guard of United Russia. This organization expresses support for the actions of
13802-515: The problems of Ukrainians in Crimea and was created as a means of information warfare. According to the Constitution of the Republic of Crimea adopted in April 2014, Ukrainian became one of the official languages of this subject (along with Russian and Crimean Tatar). Despite this, the sphere of use of the Ukrainian language is constantly shrinking. After the occupation of 2014, the study of
13936-532: The real number of students with the Ukrainian language of instruction is much lower than officially declared. According to Crimean human rights group, during the occupation, the number of students studying Ukrainian decreased 31 times —from 13,589 students in 2013 to 371 students in 2016. In April 2017, following Ukraine's appeal, the International Court of Justice UN in The Hague considered
14070-648: The region can only be resolved at a national referendum. Given this, even before the referendum was held, the leaders of Australia, Canada, the European Union , the United Kingdom, the United States and many others considered it illegal, and its results invalid. On 27 February, unmarked Russian forces masquerading as "armed pro-Russian individuals" took over the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol , with Russian special forces seizing
14204-619: The relevant resolution. Only 11 countries voted against ( Armenia , Belarus , Bolivia , Cuba , Nicaragua , North Korea , Russia, Sudan , Syria , Venezuela and Zimbabwe ), 58 abstained. The forced annexation of Crimea is not recognized by Ukraine, is not recognized by the UN General Assembly , PACE , OSCE PA , and also contradicts the decision of the Venice Commission , while the Russian authorities interpret it as "the return of Crimea to Russia." According to
14338-480: The republic, few northern (Armiansk, Krasnoperekopsk, Dzhankoi), aside from the central area, mainly Simferopol okrug and eastern region in Nizhnegorsk (few plants, same for Dzhankoj) city. Important industrial cities include Dzhankoi , housing a major railway connection, Krasnoperekopsk and Armiansk , among others. After the Russian annexation of Crimea in early 2014 and subsequent sanctions targeting Crimea,
14472-468: The sediment is deposited, forming a delta peninsula. Marine transgressions (changes in sea level) may form peninsulas, but also may affect existing peninsulas. For example, the water level may change, which causes a peninsula to become an island during high water levels. Similarly, wet weather causing higher water levels make peninsulas appear smaller, while dry weather make them appear larger. Sea level rise from global warming will permanently reduce
14606-706: The self-proclaimed Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov , the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov and the self-proclaimed life of Sevastopol Aleksei Chalyi , signed the Treaty on the Adoption of the Republic Crimea to Russia. On 21 March, the Federation Council adopted a law on the ratification of
14740-522: The size of some peninsulas over time. Peninsulas are noted for their use as shelter for humans and Neanderthals . The landform is advantageous because it gives hunting access to both land and sea animals. They can also serve as markers of a nation's borders. Russian occupation of Crimea On 27 February 2014, unmarked Russian soldiers were deployed to the Crimean Peninsula in order to wrest control of it from Ukraine , starting
14874-598: The southern coast are part of the Crimean Submediterranean forest complex ecoregion. The natural vegetation consists of scrublands, woodlands, and forests, with a climate and vegetation similar to the Mediterranean Basin . Crimea is located between the temperate and subtropical climate belts and is characterized by warm and sunny weather. It is characterized by diversity and the presence of microclimates. The northern parts of Crimea have
15008-559: The southern coast at sea level. The western parts of the Crimean mountains receive more than 1,000 millimetres (39.4 in) of precipitation per year. Snowfall is common in the mountains during winter. Most of the peninsula receives more than 2,000 sunshine hours per year; it reaches up to 2,505 sunshine hours in Qarabiy yayla in the Crimean Mountains. As a result, the climate favors recreation and tourism. Because of its climate and subsidized travel-packages from Russian state-run companies,
15142-506: The southern coast has remained a popular resort for Russian tourists. The Black Sea ports of Crimea provide quick access to the Eastern Mediterranean , Balkans and Middle East. Historically , possession of the southern coast of Crimea was sought after by most empires of the greater region since antiquity ( Roman , Byzantine , Ottoman , Russian , British and French , Nazi German , Soviet ). The nearby Dnieper River
15276-409: The southern coastal regions, is characterized by mild winters and moderately hot, dry summers. The climate of Crimea is influenced by its geographic location, relief, and influences from the Black Sea . The Southern Coast is shielded from cold air masses coming from the north and, as a result, has milder winters. Maritime influences from the Black Sea are restricted to coastal areas; in the interior of
15410-911: The southwest bring very warm and wet air from the subtropical latitudes of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean sea and cause precipitation during fall and winter. Mean annual temperatures range from 10 °C (50.0 °F) in the far north ( Armiansk ) to 13 °C (55.4 °F) in the far south ( Yalta ). In the mountains, the mean annual temperature is around 5.7 °C (42.3 °F). For every 100 m (330 ft) increase in altitude, temperatures decrease by 0.65 °C (1.17 °F) while precipitation increases. In January mean temperatures range from −3 °C (26.6 °F) in Armiansk to 4.4 °C (39.9 °F) in Myskhor . Cool-season temperatures average around 7 °C (44.6 °F) and it
15544-402: The southwest coast; others include Aqtas , Koyashskoye, Kiyatskoe, Kirleutskoe, Kizil-Yar, Bakalskoe, and Donuzlav . The general trend is for the former lakes to become salt pans. Lake Syvash (Sıvaş or Сива́ш) is a system of interconnected shallow lagoons on the north-eastern coast, covering an area of around 2,560 km (988 sq mi). A number of dams have created reservoirs; among
15678-842: The summer. The largest rivers are the Salhyr (Salğır, Салгир), the Kacha (Кача), the Alma (Альма), and the Belbek (Бельбек). Also important are the Kokozka (Kökköz or Коккозка), the Indole (Indol or Индо́л), the Chorna (Çorğun, Chernaya or Чёрная), the Derekoika (Dereköy or Дерекойка), the Karasu-Bashi (Biyuk-Karasu or Биюк-Карасу) (a tributary of the Salhyr river), the Burulcha (Бурульча) (also
15812-812: The territory of the whole peninsula , with the far north, the Southern Coast and the Simferopol - Bakhchysarai metropolitan area being ″hotspots″ of their activity. United Nations special rapporteurs have condemned the Russian occupation authorities for attempting "to erase local [Ukrainian] culture, history, and language" and to forcibly replace it with Russian language and culture. Ukrainian monuments and places of worship have been razed, while Ukrainian history books and literature deemed to be "extremist" have been seized from public libraries and destroyed. Civil servants and teachers have been detained for their refusal to implement Russian policy. The International Court of Justice ruled in 2024 that Russia had broken
15946-628: The threat of war to the heart of Europe for the first time since the Cold War. On 15 April 2014, British diplomat Charles Crawford wrote that he believed that Ukraine was Putin's testbed in his plans to revive the Russian Empire. The annexation of Crimea took place immediately, but the further conquest of Ukraine will be carried out by the method of a thousand cuts. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Danylo Lubkivskyi [ uk ] : In Crimea, Russia introduced censorship as
16080-573: The tourist industry suffered major losses for two years. The flow of holidaymakers dropped 35 percent in the first half of 2014 over the same period of 2013. The number of tourist arrivals reached a record in 2012 at 6.1 million. According to the Russian administration of Crimea, they dropped to 3.8 million in 2014, and rebounded to 5.6 million by 2016. Peninsula The word peninsula derives from Latin paeninsula , from paene 'almost' and insula 'island'. The word entered English in
16214-564: The volcano erupts near shallow water. Marine sediment may form peninsulas by the creation of limestone . A rift peninsula may form as a result of a divergent boundary in plate tectonics (e.g. the Arabian Peninsula ), while a convergent boundary may also form peninsulas (e.g. Gibraltar or the Indian subcontinent ). Peninsulas can also form due to sedimentation in rivers. When a river carrying sediment flows into an ocean,
16348-514: The years of Soviet rule, the resorts and dachas of this coast were used by leading politicians and served as prime perquisites of the politically loyal. In addition, vineyards and fruit orchards are located in the region. Fishing, mining, and the production of essential oils are also important. Numerous Crimean Tatar villages, mosques, monasteries , and palaces of the Russian imperial family and nobles are found here, as well as picturesque ancient Greek and medieval castles. The Crimean Mountains and
16482-405: Was also in contention , but a 1997 treaty allowed Russia to continue basing its fleet in Sevastopol. In 2014, the peninsula was occupied by Russian forces and annexed by Russia , but most countries recognise Crimea as Ukrainian territory. In English, the omission of the definite article ("Crimea" rather than "the Crimea") became common during the later 20th century. The spelling "Crimea"
16616-602: Was also looted by a court decision under the guise of repairs. According to Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea Klyment , these hostile actions of the Russian occupying power towards the Ukrainian Church are aimed at the complete destruction of Ukrainian identity and Ukrainians as a separate nation in Crimea. In May 2015, the Ukrainian Cultural Center was established in Crimea, whose participants aimed to preserve Ukrainian culture and language on
16750-810: Was announced that 250 Ukrainian language and literature teachers would be retrained in Russian, in September 2014, the Faculty of Ukrainian Language was liquidated at the Tavri University (a department of Ukrainian philology was created instead), in November 2014, the Crimean Academic Ukrainian Musical Theater was renamed the State Academic Musical Theater of the Republic of Crimea, and the only Ukrainian school-gymnasium in Simferopol
16884-414: Was baptized at Sevastopol starting the Christianization of Kievan Rus' . The north and centre of Crimea fell to the Mongol Golden Horde , although the south coast was still controlled by the Christian Principality of Theodoro and Genoese colonies . The Genoese–Mongol Wars were fought between the 13th and 15th centuries for control of south Crimea. In the 1440s the Crimean Khanate formed out of
17018-403: Was changed twice: first moved to 30 March, and then to 16 March. The wording of the question was also changed – instead of expanding autonomy, it was about joining Russia. In fact, both "alternative" questions were formulated in such a way that they excluded Crimea's belonging to Ukraine. At the same time, according to Ukrainian legislation, since Ukraine is a unitary state, the issue of separating
17152-434: Was convened to discuss the introduction of martial law . The next day, 26 November, they approved the decision to introduce martial law for 30 days. Shortly before the start of negotiations , Vladimir Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov , in an interview with Reuters , outlined the main requirements for Ukraine, one of which was the recognition of Crimea as Russian. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on
17286-437: Was created from a large deposit of glacial drift . The hill of drift becomes a peninsula if the hill formed near water but was still connected to the mainland, for example during the formation of Cape Cod about 23,000 years ago. In the case of formation from volcanoes, when a volcano erupts magma near water, it may form a peninsula (e.g., the Alaskan Peninsula ). Peninsulas formed from volcanoes are especially common when
17420-418: Was occupied by a changing cast of steppe nomads , coming under the control of the Golden Horde in the 13th century from which the Crimean Khanate emerged as a successor state. In the 15th century, the Khanate became a dependency of the Ottoman Empire. Lands controlled by Russia and Poland-Lithuania were often the target of slave raids during this period. In 1783, after the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774),
17554-400: Was revived by the Russian Empire during the mass hellenization of Crimean Tatar place names after the annexation of the Crimean Khanate , including both the peninsula and mainland territories now in Ukraine's Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. In 1764 imperial authorities established the Taurida Oblast ( Tavricheskaia oblast ), and reorganized it as the Taurida Governorate in 1802. While
17688-434: Was supposedly crowned with the temple of Artemis where Iphigeneia officiated as priestess. Uchan-su , on the south slope of the mountains, is the highest waterfall in Crimea. There are 257 rivers and major streams on the Crimean peninsula; they are primarily fed by rainwater, with snowmelt playing a very minor role. This makes for significant seasonal fluctuation in water flow, with many streams drying up completely during
17822-465: Was transferred to the Russian language of instruction and renamed to Simferopol Academic Gymnasium, in December 2014, the Ukrainian children's theater studio "Svitanok" closed due to pressure, in March 2016, the Lesia Ukrainka Museum in Yalta was closed for renovation, in the same month, the Russian FSB searched the premises of the Ukrainian society "Prosvita" in Sevastopol, where they seized more than 250 "extremist materials". The power structures of
17956-451: Was where Wrangel 's anti-Bolshevik White Army made their last stand. Many anti-Communist fighters and civilians escaped to Istanbul but up to 150,000 were killed in Crimea. In 1921 the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created as part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic . It was occupied by Germany from 1942 to 1944 during the Second World War . After the Soviets regained control in 1944, they deported
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