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
Reaction of Russian intelligentsia to the 2014 annexation of Crimea Reaction of Russian intelligentsia to the 2014 annexation of Crimea 2014 Russian intelligentsia reaction on events happened in Crimea refers to the reaction of the Russian intelligentsia to the Russian annexation of Crimea. Over 100 cultural figures signed a letter supporting Russia's return of Crimea. Among those who signed it were conductor Yuri Bashmet, film director Fyodor Bondarchuk, director Stanislav Govorukhin, film director Karen Shakhnazarov, actor Sergey Bezrukov, singer Lev Leshchenko, sculptor Alexander Bourganov, sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, and actor Dmitry Kharatyan. The letter was kept open to add signatures and eventually reached 511. The name of the famous theatre and