9781422283905

Russian Black Sea Fleet officers stand in line in Nakhimov Square ahead of a parade in Sevastopol’s streets as part of celebrations of the first anniversary of the reunification of Crimea with the Russian Federation.

Ukraine voted to secede over attempts to bringUkraine into an associationwith the European Union. Following this referendum, Russian military forces crossed the border into the Crimean peninsula and gained control of key locations, including government buildings, airports, and military bases. The area is now administered by Russia as the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol. The United States and the European Union (EU) have argued that the vote to secede was illegitimate and that its outcome will not be recognized. As Crimea rejoined Russia, other parts of eastern Ukraine came under dispute. Pro-Russian

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