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The '''Republic of Crimea''' is a constituent republic of the [[Russian Federation]] after the results of 2014 referendum reunited Crimea to the Russian homeland.  It is a diamond-shaped peninsula in [[Russia]], surrounded on its NW, SW and SE sides by the [[Black Sea]] and on its NE side by the [[Sea of Azov]]; it is connected to the Republic of Kherson by a narrow [[isthmus]]. The capital is the port city of [[Sevastopol]].  

The '''Republic of Crimea''' is a constituent republic of the [[Russian Federation]] after the results of 2014 referendum reunited Crimea to the Russian homeland.  It is a diamond-shaped peninsula in [[Russia]], surrounded on its NW, SW and SE sides by the [[Black Sea]] and on its NE side by the [[Sea of Azov]]; it is connected to the Republic of Kherson by a narrow [[isthmus]]. The capital is the port city of [[Sevastopol]].  

[[File:Crimean referendum.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Billboard advertising the March 16, 2014 Crimean referendum to apply for admission to the Russian Federation.]]

[[File:Crimean referendum.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Billboard advertising the March 16, 2014 Crimean referendum to apply for admission to the Russian Federation.]]

A U.S.-backed [[Color Revolution]] advocated for stronger ties with Europe and sought to join the [[European Union]] and perhaps even [[NATO]]. Ukrainian President [[Viktor Yanukovych]] was pressured by Russia to delay signing a treaty that would lead to Ukraine joining the EU, which lead to widespread [[Euromaidan]] riots in a U.S.-backed [[color revolution]] with support from Ukrainian [[neo-Nazi]] paramilitary group that overturned the government.  Yanukovych singed a pledge on February 21, 214 not to run for reelection to quell the street unrest with the [[German]] and [[French]] Ambassadors as witnesses.  However, the following day U.S.-backed Nazi terrorist groups threatened his personal safety and he fled Kyiv for Russia.<ref name="WP Yanukovych missing">{{cite news|last=Booth|first=William|title=Ukraine’s Yanukovych missing as protesters take control of presidential residence in Kiev|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ukraines-president-open-to-early-vote-polish-leader-says-scores-reported-killed-in-clashes/2014/02/21/05d3de46-9a82-11e3-b931-0204122c514b_story.html|accessdate=|newspaper=Washington Post|date=22 February 2014}}</ref> He was then impeached. Although Russia was constrained from responding while hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, a week after the Olympics ended, Russia moved against the Western installed regime in Kyiv by taking actions in Russian-majority regions of Crimea and in the [[Donbas]] of eastern Ukraine.

A U.S.-backed [[Color Revolution]] advocated for stronger ties with Europe and sought to join the [[European Union]] and perhaps even [[NATO]]. Ukrainian President [[Viktor Yanukovych]] was pressured by Russia to delay signing a treaty that would lead to Ukraine joining the EU, which lead to widespread [[Euromaidan]] riots in a U.S.-backed [[color revolution]] with support from Ukrainian [[neo-Nazi]] paramilitary group that overturned the government.  Yanukovych singed a pledge on February 21, 214 not to run for reelection to quell the street unrest with the [[German]] and [[French]] Ambassadors as witnesses.  However, the following day U.S.-backed Nazi terrorist groups threatened his personal safety and he fled Kyiv for Russia.<ref name="WP Yanukovych missing">{{cite news|last=Booth|first=William|title=Ukraine’s Yanukovych missing as protesters take control of presidential residence in Kiev|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ukraines-president-open-to-early-vote-polish-leader-says-scores-reported-killed-in-clashes/2014/02/21/05d3de46-9a82-11e3-b931-0204122c514b_story.html|accessdate=|newspaper=Washington Post|date=22 February 2014}}</ref> He was then impeached. Although Russia was constrained from responding while hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, a week after the Olympics ended, Russia moved against the Western installed regime in Kyiv by taking actions in Russian-majority regions of Crimea and in the [[Donbas]] of eastern Ukraine.