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
Football in Crimea Football in Crimea Football in Crimea is governed by the Republican Football Federation of Crimea. Since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Federation joined the Russian Football Union. The professional clubs of Crimea were reincorporated under the Russian jurisdiction and placed in the Russian Second League, while previously competing in various Ukrainian leagues. Due to protest from the Football Federation of Ukraine, UEFA ordered to remove Crimean clubs from the Russian professional competitions and instead organized special competitions under auspices of a Crimean Football Union, while preserving the Republican Football Federation of Crimea. The top league in Crimea