Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev, declared that Crimea had been fully integrated into Russia. Until 2016 these new subjects were grouped in the Crimean Federal District. On 8 August 2016, Ukraine reported that Russia had increased its military presence along the demarcation line. In response to this military buildup Ukraine also deployed more troops and resources closer to the border with Crimea. The Pentagon has downplayed a Russian invasion of Ukraine, calling Russian troops along the border a regular military exercise. On 10 August, Russia claimed two servicemen were killed in clashes with Ukrainian commandos, and that Ukrainian servicemen had been
Timeline of the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation Sevastopol City State Administration, appointed by the President of Ukraine, Vladimir Yatsuba, was booed and whistled on February 23, when he told a pro-Russian rally that Crimea was a part of Ukraine. He resigned the next day. Several hundred pro-Russian protesters blocked the Crimean parliament and demanded a referendum on Crimea's independence. The rally was organized by the Crimean Front. Another large property of fugitive president Yanukovych was discovered close to Sevastopol four times the size of that in the capital Kiev. On February 26, thousands of protesters clashed in Simferopol. Near the Supreme Council of Crimea building between 4,000