Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation Yanukovych. At the end of the meeting Putin remarked that "we must start working on returning Crimea to Russia". On 23 February, pro-Russian demonstrations were held in the Crimean city of Sevastopol. On 27 February masked Russian troops without insignia took over the Supreme Council (parliament) of Crimea, and captured strategic sites across Crimea, which led to the installation of the pro-Russian Aksyonov government in Crimea, the conducting of the Crimean status referendum and the declaration of Crimea's independence on 16 March 2014. Russia formally incorporated Crimea as two federal subjects of the Russian Federation with effect from 18 March
International reactions to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and Simferopol start this war, our duty is to resist it by all available means!" The Fourth International, an international group of trozkyist communist parties, approved a resolution that expressed support for Maidan Revolution and condemned russian actions in Ukraine, while also expressing mistrust in the new government of Ukraine. The resolution also asked for immediate cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of russian troops from Ukraine, opposition of anti-social policies and neutrality of ukrainan state. International reactions to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation International reactions to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation have almost always been