Abstract
In March 2014, Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. It was a momentous event in the history of post-war Europe. It was the first time borders in Europe had been forcibly changed since World War II. Russia considered Ukraine as part of its near abroad, and hence its privileged sphere of interests. The 2004 Orange Revolution was a serious blow to Russian influence over Ukraine. So when the Ukrainian people once again took to the streets in protest against President Viktor Yanukovich in December 2013, Russia felt it had to act. It could not tolerate yet another ‘colour revolution’ on its borders. Thus, on 27 February, Russian troops moved into Crimea. The occupation was followed by a dubious referendum, held under the auspices of Russian soldiers, after which Crimea was joined with Russia. What followed is history, including a protracted civil war in eastern Ukraine, with Russia as the sponsor of the rebel forces.
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Notes
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Talseth, LC.U. (2017). Conclusions: The Politics of Power. In: The Politics of Power. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33126-3_7
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