Crimea is a new area of world interest
Recall that the situation in the region became complicated after the authorities in Kiev passed to the opposition forces. In a few days Ukraine underwent a change of the constitution, accepted the resignation of the head of state and formed the new government.
Today Crimea is home for about 60 % of Russian people, 17 % of Ukrainians and 12 % of Crimean Tatars and representatives of other nationalities. Moscow has had an interest in Crimea for hundreds of years, with its rich farmland and its access to the Black Sea. Russia gave Crimea to Ukraine in 1954, when both Russia and Ukraine were part of the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, there was some local desire for Crimea to leave Ukraine and become part of Russia again, but lawmakers in Ukraine and Crimea voted for it to stay part of Ukraine. Russian Black Sea Fleet is stationed in the Crimean city of Sevastopol.
As a consequence, throughout this week Crimea became a platform of landing of the Russian deputies. MPs held meetings with the public of the autonomy and negotiated with local leaders. In Simferopol, the building of the Supreme Council gathered about 10-15 thousand people from all over the autonomy. One side, basically the Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians, was in support of the new government and the preservation of the current status of Crimea. Other (mainly ethnic Russian) demanded independence of the peninsula and asked Russia for help. Rival demonstrators chanted "Crimea is Russia" and "Crimea is not Russia" back and forth at each other. As a result of the clashes two people were killed and a few score of demonstrators injured.
Vladimir Putin gave the green light for an invasion of Ukraine on Saturday as the upper house of the Russian parliament unanimously approved his request to send troops into the neighbouring state. Putin's statement only talks about "protecting the interests of Russian citizens and compatriots", but there are fears that Moscow is planning a full-scale annexation of Crimea, with its majority ethnic Russian population.
Ukraine had already accused Russia of a "military invasion and occupation" of Crimea, and that could now become official. Armoured personnel carriers and 'Ural' off-road 6x6 trucks were seen in Sevastopol, Yalta on the outskirts of Simferopol.
Meanwhile, the situation has gone beyond the region and the two countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin had telephone conversations with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, French President Francois Hollande and the U.S. President Barack Obama during which they discussed the crisis situation in Ukraine. In the 90-minute conversation Obama condemned Russia's military intervention, calling it a "clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity" and describing it as a breach of international law.
In Crimea on Saturday, there were more pro-Russia rallies, and the region already appeared under the control of Russian troops and pro-Russian militias, who were patrolling the airports, parliaments and roads in and out of the region.
