The Crimean Crisis Explained in 90 Seconds

We’re getting a lot of questions about Crimea and why it matters so I have bravely volunteered to condense it into a minute and a half.

Crimea is a region in southern Ukraine. The majority of the population is ethnically Russian and Sevastopol is a Russian naval base.

The background is that Ukraine’s President last year tore up a trade agreement with Europe, instead cosying up to Russia. This sparked public outcry.

Once he’d ordered the police to fire on the crowds with live rounds, the Ukranian parliament voted to get rid of him and called elections.

The President fled, his ministers were replaced and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Russia meanwhile had been holding vast exercises on Ukraine’s border.

And suddenly, heavily armed men in uniforms with no insignia took over the regional parliament in Crimea. They were small units, throwing flashbangs and with all the trappings of the Russian Spesnaz special forces. Russia claims they were merely concerned locals.

Under their protection the parliament elected a new Prime Minister, who immediately announced a referendum on separating from Ukraine and joining Russia.

The Russian, or not, forces then took control of Crimea, luckily without serious violence. Since then Cossack militias from elsewhere in Russia have appeared too.

It all has echoes of the 2008 invasion of Georgia, and NATO countries nearby have asked for help because they feel threatened.

So far this has led to America deploying some fighter jets, a warship and NATO itself deploying surveillance planes.

As an east / west stand-off and with nuclear disarmament talks in the balance, this all has the feel of the Cold War.