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 film industry) published an open letter of support for their Ukrainian colleagues on its website. By 13 March 2014 the letter had been co-signed by more than 200 people. After an open letter of support for Russian policy in Crimea was published, on March 11, 2014 a response from Ukraine appeared. 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