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
Timeline of the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation notably those living in Eastern Ukraine and having strong ties with Russia. Many Russian politicians respond to the resolution as "Yatseniyk and Turchynov trying to prevent the breakaway of more Ukrainian regions into Russia, such as Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya". Another statement is made by Turchynov regarding Crimean tatars, in which the incumbent President says that Ukraine will try to reinforce the rights of Tatars living in Crimea, which so far have been long neglected. The Ukrainian corvettes "Khmelnitsky" and "Lutsk" were boarded and seized by Russian forces at Streletska Bay. At evening, 15-20 Russian special troops from a Russian navy