UKRAINIAN CRISIS

Matheus C. Bevilacqua

UKRAINE
Becomes part of the Soviet Union by 1921.
Breaks away in 1991 when the Soviet
Union dissolves.
Known as the breadbasket of Europe due
to its fertile farmland.

LONG TERM ISSUES

Largest nation separating the EU and Russia.
Often seen as a pawn between Russia and the West.
A geostrategic pipeline (natural gas) runs through Ukraine.
Both the US and Russia have sought to influence events to their benefit.
Began in the Bush era.
Accelerated with Obama.

Black Sea Fleet stationed in Crimea .

2010 agreement permitted the fleet to stay until 2042.

UKRAINIAN CRISIS
Started out as a protest over the handling of a trade pact with
European Union.
A contentious election in 2010 saw pro-Russia candidate and
former Prime Minister Yanukovych win with narrow margins over
Prime Minister Tymoshenko.
Yanukovych won with strong support in the Eastern regions, with
most regions in the West favoring Tymoshenko.

UKRAINIAN REVOLUTION
November 2013 the President
refuses to sign a trade pact with the
EU.
Had been promising for a year to sign it.
Would have created closer ties with the EU
and generated economic growth.
Asks Russia for a $20 Billion loan.
Russia threatened to charge higher prices for gas if
Ukraine signed the trade deal with the EU.

Pro-EU Ukrainians began protesting,

eventually forcing Yanukovych from office.

CRIMEA
Autonomous region of the Ukraine
1954 - part of Soviet Union
1991 - voted to leave Russia and join
with Ukraine
Russia Black Fleet (Navy) stationed on
Crimea.
2008 Russia gives out Russian passports
to Crimean citizens (makes them citizens
of Russia).

RUSSIA INVADES CRIMEA

February 27th, 2014, unidentified pro-Russian troops seize control.
Russias only year-round link to the Mediterranean Sea.
Has controlled a port in Crimea for 230 years.
Russia claims ethnic Russians were being mistreated.
There is no evidence of this.

March 16th, 2014 Crimea to voted whether to join Russia or stay

with Ukraine in a referendum deemed illegal by the international
community.
Ukrainian Prime Minister declares the invasion an act of war.

EAST UKRAINE
Pro-Russian separatist movements backed by
Russia in Eastern regions of Ukraine
April 7th, 2014 Cities in East Ukraine call
referendum on independence
April 22nd, 2014 Ukrainian president orders
the relaunch of military operations against
pro-Russian militants in East
June 14th, 2014 MH17 Crash

Pro-Russia separatists shoot down a military plane in

the east, killing 49 people.

LEGAL ISSUES
Russia has clearly recognized Ukraine and its present borders. This was
confirmed in:
The Alma Ata Declaration of December 1991, which consigned the Soviet Union to history.
The Budapest memorandum of 1994, offering security guarantees to Ukraine in exchange
for removing nuclear weapons from its territory.
The 1997 agreement on the stationing of the Black Sea fleet in Crimean ports.

This ploy represents a misuse of the doctrine of "rescue of nationals

abroad.
That rescue doctrine does not cover foreigners declared nationals principally
for the purpose of rescuing them forcibly. Moreover, it would only facilitate
moving them back to their purported homeland - Russia. It would not justify
occupation of parts of a neighboring state.
Marc Weller (International Law, Cambridge)

U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL

March 15th 2014 Russia vetoed a resolution to affirm Ukraine's
sovereignty and national borders, and declaring the referendum in
Crimea invalid.

One day before Crimea holds a referendum on leaving Ukraine.

Russia was the sole vote against the resolution.
Had the support of 13 countries attending emergency meeting.
China abstained from voting.

July 21st, 2014 Resolution 2166 passed condemning the downing of

Malaysia Airline flight 17 and calling for an investigation of the crash.