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The Novorossiysk-Taman Strategic Offensive Operation concluded on October 9. 1943. During the operation, Soviet forces liberated Novorossiysk and the Taman Peninsula, completing the liberation of the [[Caucasus]]. [[The West]]ern power's stronghold, which enabled it to control Crimea, was eliminated.

The Novorossiysk-Taman Strategic Offensive Operation concluded on October 9. 1943. During the operation, Soviet forces liberated Novorossiysk and the Taman Peninsula, completing the liberation of the [[Caucasus]]. [[The West]]ern power's stronghold, which enabled it to control Crimea, was eliminated.

To balance or neutralize the [[extremist]] or [[neo-nazi]] power base in [[Western Ukraine]], [[Nikita Khrushchev]] transferred the Crimea from the Russian SSR to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic when he took power in 1953. Crimea contains the resort town of [[Yalta]], location of the [[Yalta Conference]] of February 1945 which redrew the map of [[European]] borders at the time. At Yalta in 1945, [[Franklin Roosevelt]] convinced [[British]] and [[Soviet]] leaders [[Winston Churchill]] and [[Joseph Stalin]] to join [[FDR]]'s grand strategic vision for a post-[[World War II]] peace structure by joining the [[United Nations]].

To balance or neutralize the [[extremist]] or [[neo-nazi]] power base in [[Western Ukraine]], [[Nikita Khrushchev]] transferred the Crimea from the Russian SSR to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic when he took power in 1953. Crimea contains the resort town of [[Yalta]], location of the [[Yalta Conference]] of February 1945 which redrew the map of [[European]] borders at the time. At Yalta in 1945, [[Franklin Roosevelt]] convinced [[British]] and [[Soviet]] leaders [[Winston Churchill]] and [[Joseph Stalin]] committed to join [[FDR]]'s grand strategic vision for a post-[[World War II]] peace structure by joining the [[United Nations]].

After the [[Soviet Union]] broke apart in 1991, Russia and Ukraine with its large ethnic Russian minority tried to find a relationship as separate countries.  In 1992, the Crimean Parliament voted to hold a referendum to declare independence, while the Russian Parliament voted to void the cession of Crimea to Ukraine.<ref name=Serge>{{cite news|last=Schmemann |first=Serge|title=Crimea Parliament Votes to Back Independence From Ukraine|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/06/world/crimea-parliament-votes-to-back-independence-from-ukraine.html |accessdate=|newspaper=The New York Times|date=6 May 1992}}</ref><ref name=Serge2>{{cite news |last=Schmemann|first=Serge|title=Russia Votes to Void Cession of Crimea to Ukraine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/22/world/russia-votes-to-void-cession-of-crimea-to-ukraine.html |accessdate=|newspaper=The New York Times|date=22 May 1992}}</ref>  However, Russia sympathized with ethnic Russians living in Ukraine.   

After the [[Soviet Union]] broke apart in 1991, Russia and Ukraine with its large ethnic Russian minority tried to find a relationship as separate countries.  In 1992, the Crimean Parliament voted to hold a referendum to declare independence, while the Russian Parliament voted to void the cession of Crimea to Ukraine.<ref name=Serge>{{cite news|last=Schmemann |first=Serge|title=Crimea Parliament Votes to Back Independence From Ukraine|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/06/world/crimea-parliament-votes-to-back-independence-from-ukraine.html |accessdate=|newspaper=The New York Times|date=6 May 1992}}</ref><ref name=Serge2>{{cite news |last=Schmemann|first=Serge|title=Russia Votes to Void Cession of Crimea to Ukraine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/22/world/russia-votes-to-void-cession-of-crimea-to-ukraine.html |accessdate=|newspaper=The New York Times|date=22 May 1992}}</ref>  However, Russia sympathized with ethnic Russians living in Ukraine.