Crimea: Connection Between Ukraine And Russia

Some Quick Facts:

1. Part Of Russia from 1783. Taken from the Turkic peoples. [Crimea]

2. Handed from Russia to Soviet Ukraine in 1954. [Crimea]

3. Became part of Ukraine in 1991. [Crimea]

4. Sevastopal, a port city, is a very important base for the Russian Navy, called the Black Sea Fleet. This is a strategic area for Russia due to its geographic location and economic importance.

5. Crimea has been inhabited by many nationalities throughout history. This is a very important region to historians.

6. The Crimean War (Eastern War in Russia) was fought between Russia and World Allied Powers, 1853-1856. The Allied Powers were primarily France and England, in alliance with the Ottoman Empire. The Crimean War was a huge military setback for Russia. It ended the superiority of Russian dominance of the Black Sea. This was one of few that Russia has lost.

7. Ukraine, along with the other Eastern European countries, has and will struggle for its independence from a dominant Russia. Crimea, and the Ukraine in general, will be an area that one will want to keep an eye on in the future.

This location is of great importance to Russia. After all, Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, is the cradle of the Slavic tribes, founded at the end of the 5th century. Situated on the banks of the Dnieper River, on one of the biggest European Rivers, Kiev is a major city.

The Russians are leasing the port in the Crimean peninsula, and the lease is to run out in 2017. Ukraine has stated that it may not renew the lease.

Gazprom, a Russian owned company, holds the world’s largest natural gas reserves. As the dispute between Gazprom and Ukraine continues, this further complicates the situation for the rest of Europe. Europe depends on Gazprom for natural gas, a very important source of heat.