Quote:The first actions of the new power in Kiev caused protests in Crimea, where the majority of the population is Russian-speaking. In parallel, Russian influence was mobilized via public organizations, such as “Russian community of Crimea” and party “Russian Unity”. In addition, direct dialog with the local powers in the autonomy was established. Few people know that, by Crimean peninsula, being an autonomy within Ukraine, right after Maidan events received an ultimatum from new Kiev authorities. The leadership of Crimea was told that within a day a plane will depart in the direction of Crimea, with new administration, and that military hardware is moving towards Crimea. The leadership was strongly recommended to leave before the arrival of the new administration. The details of the military operation prepared against them by the junta were forwarded to the Crimean authorities by Russia, and the Crimean authorities immediately asked the Russian Federation for the help.

In the morning of February 23, Putin tasked the heads of the armed forces and police to begin preparatory work for the return of Crimea to Russia. On March 1, Russian solders with local volunteers blocked all installations of the Ukrainian military on the peninsula. In the early morning of February 27, in response to an attempt of supporters of Mejlis and new Ukrainian powers to take over the building of the Crimean parliament, Russian special forces took over the defense of Crimean administrative buildings, and Supreme Soviet of Crimea decided to conduct an all-Crimea referendum. Sergey Aksenov, the leader of “Russian Unity” party, became the head of the new Crimean government. He announced that Crimea does not recognize new the Ukrainian government and asked Russia to “help ensure peace and quiet in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea”. The referendum about the status of Crimea was held on March 16. Based on its results, Republic of Crimea signed a treaty about joining Russia.

After that huge fiasco with the loss of the most valuable for the West part of its new colony and inglorious retreat of the battleship “Donald Cook” sent to “help”, the US became furious.