Crimea: Why Russia seized it, its strategic importance and its role in Ukraine War | Explained

A mural in Moscow shows Crimea painted in the colours of Russia. In 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. (File Photo - Reuters)

Russia’s illegal seizure of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014 was swift and largely bloodless, but it triggered a severe deterioration in Moscow’s relations with the West, the likes of which had not been seen since the Cold War. The annexation also set the stage for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, during which Moscow illegally annexed additional Ukrainian territories.

Let’s take a closer look at Crimea -- a diamond-shaped peninsula in the Black Sea, coveted by both Russia and Ukraine for its naval bases and strategic coastline.

How did Russia seize Crimea?

In late 2013 and early 2014, Ukraine was rocked by a popular uprising that eventually forced pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych from office. Amid the chaos, Russian President Vladimir Putin moved swiftly, deploying armed troops without insignia to overrun Crimea. He later called a referendum on joining Russia, which Ukraine and the West dismissed as illegal.

The move sparked a sharp decline in relations between Russia and Western nations. The United States, the European Union, and other countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and its officials. Russia’s annexation on March 18, 2014, was recognised only by a handful of countries, including North Korea and Sudan.

Inside Russia, the takeover sparked a wave of patriotism. “Krym nash!” — meaning “Crimea is ours!” — became a rallying cry, and Putin’s approval rating surged from 65 per cent in January 2014 to 86 per cent by June, according to the Levada Centre, an independent Russian pollster. Putin has repeatedly called Crimea “a sacred place” and has prosecuted those who publicly argue it remains part of Ukraine, particularly targeting the Crimean Tatars, who opposed the annexation.

What happened after the annexation?

Following the takeover, fighting erupted in eastern Ukraine between pro-Kremlin militias and Kyiv’s forces. Moscow supported these insurgents despite repeated denials of direct military involvement. Evidence of Russian involvement included a Dutch court finding that a Russian-supplied air defence system downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 people aboard.

Russian hardliners later criticised Putin for not seizing all of Ukraine in 2014, arguing that Kyiv was vulnerable and its military weak. The fighting in eastern Ukraine continued intermittently until February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Why is Crimea important?

Crimea’s strategic location in the Black Sea has made it a prized possession for centuries. Initially home to Turkic-speaking Tatars, it was annexed by the Russian Empire in the 18th century, briefly regained independence, and then became part of the Soviet Union. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred Crimea from Russia to Ukraine in 1954, when both were part of the USSR, commemorating the 300th anniversary of Moscow-Kyiv unification. After the Soviet collapse in 1991, Crimea became part of an independent Ukraine.

Despite this, Russia maintained a military presence through its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. By the time of the 2014 annexation, Crimea had been under Ukrainian sovereignty for six decades and was firmly embedded in its national identity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to reclaim it, saying Russia “won’t be able to steal” the peninsula.

Control over Crimea is critical for both nations as it allows dominance over Black Sea activities -- a key corridor for global grain and other trade.

Crimea’s role in Russia’s war in Ukraine

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Moscow deployed troops and weapons in Crimea, enabling rapid advances into southern Ukraine in early 2022. A top Russian military official later revealed that securing a land corridor from Russia to Crimea through the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions was among the Kremlin’s objectives in what it calls its “special military operation.”

Initially, Zelensky pursued diplomatic avenues to regain Crimea, but following the invasion, Ukraine began contemplating military options. The peninsula has since become a focal point of conflict, with Kyiv conducting drone attacks and bombings targeting the Russian Black Sea Fleet, ammunition depots, airfields, and the Kerch Bridge — Putin’s symbolic connection between Russia and Crimea, struck in October 2022, July 2023, and June 2025.

Crimea in peace negotiations

In 2024, Putin listed Ukraine’s recognition of Crimea as Russian territory among Moscow’s conditions for peace. Other demands include ceding the four regions annexed in 2022, abandoning NATO membership aspirations, maintaining a non-nuclear status, limiting military forces, and protecting Russian-speaking populations.

Zelensky has rejected ceding any Ukrainian land. Russia currently controls roughly 20 per cent of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea. Analysts note that any deal freezing current frontlines would largely benefit Moscow.