Origin
of the Protest: the Ukraine
crisis was sparked with the protests, following announcement of the Ukrainian President
Viktor Yanukovych's government in November 2013, regarding abandonment of
agreement, which strengthens ties with the European Union and instead seeks
closer cooperation with Moscow. These protesters were
brutally attacked by the Police. Adding fuel to the fire, this act of the Police
led to huge public support for the demonstrations.
In a protest on Dec. 1 around 300,000 people gathered and seized
Kiev City Hall. Such gathering was the largest in Kiev since the Orange
Revolution[1] of 2004.
Declaration from Russia: In
December, 2013, the Russian President Vladimir Putin announced certain reliefs
to the Ukrainian Government, which involved purchase of bonds of the Ukrainian
government worth $15 billion by Moscow; and a sharp cut in the price, Ukrainians
pay for Russian natural gas. These relieves had no conditions attached.
The protest continued, with some events of
deaths, following which the Ukrainian Prime Minister resigned and the
parliament repealed the harsh anti-protest laws to pacify the situation.
Huge bloodshed calling the attention of EU and Russia: In February, at least 88 people were killed in 48 hours of
bloodshed. As shown by the Video, uniformed snipers fired at protesters holding
makeshift shields. Three European Union foreign ministers fly in to try to broker
a deal; Russia announced sending its envoy.
President ready to sign Deal to form a new government: In the last phase of Frbruary, the President Yanukovych
signed compromise deal with opposition leaders, brokered by French, Polish and
German foreign ministers. He agreed to form a new national unity government with
constitutional changes handing powers back to parliament and early elections,
held by December.
Disappearance
of the President and other events: On 22nd February, the President
Yanukovych disappears (reportedly, he left for Kharkiv in the north-east). Following
this event, protesters took control of presidential administration buildings
without resistance. Opposition leaders stressed for elections on 25 May.
Parliament voted and decided to remove president from power with elections set
for 25 May.
Mr
Yanukovych appeared on TV, insisting in a recorded message that he is lawfully
elected president and that denounced "coup" His arch-rival Yulia
Tymoshenko, jailed for seven years in 2011, was freed and he was able to
address Kiev crowds.
Nomination
of Interim President and protests in Crimea: In the last days of
February, the Parliament named speaker Olexander Turchynov as interim president.
An arrest warrant was issued for Mr Yanukovych. Members of the proposed new
government appear before demonstrators, with Arseniy Yatsenyuk nominated prime
minister. The elite Berkut police unit, blamed for deaths of protesters, is
disbanded. Rival protests were held in Crimea.
Russia’s military presence in Crimea: During the last couple of days in February, the pro-Russian
gunmen seize key buildings in the Crimean capital, Simferopol. Unidentified
gunmen in combat uniforms appear outside Crimea's main airports, sparking fears
of Russian military intervention. At his first
news conference since fleeing Ukraine, Viktor
Yanukovych, now in southern Russia, insisted that he remains president and
opposes military intervention or division of Ukraine.
Use of Russian forces and alarms from US and west: On 1st March, the Russian parliament approved the
President Vladimir Putin's request to use Russian forces in Ukraine. In retaliation,
the acting President Olexander Turchynov put the army on full alert in Kieve. US President Barack Obama tells Mr Putin in
90-minute telephone conversation to pull forces back to bases. Mr Putin says
Moscow has right to protect its interests and those of Russian-speakers in
Ukraine.
Following it, the talks in Paris between Russia
and Western powers ended without agreement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov refuses to meet his new Ukrainian counterpart. The UN envoy to Crimea
Robert Serry cuts short his mission there after being threatened by armed men.
Call for referendum: On 6th
March, 2014, Crimea's parliament asks to join Russia and to put the decision to
a referendum on 16 March. Russia agreed to support Crimea on the
condition that the region votes to leave. Ukraine's team at the Paralympic
Games in Sochi protests against Russia's actions by sending just one athlete to
the opening ceremony. Also, the Ukrainian PM Yatsenyuk vowed not to give
a "single centimetre" of Ukraine's land to Russia.
Tens of thousands of people hold rival
pro-unity and pro-Russian rallies across Ukraine, with pro-Russia demonstrators
beating up their opponents in Sevastopol.
The Measure of the European commission: EC offered Ukraine trade incentives worth nearly 500m euros
($694m; £417m) to try to shore up its flagging economy, and the Ukrainian
parliament asks the US and UK - as guarantors of the security pledges given
to Ukraine in 1994[2] - to use all measures,
including military, to stop Russia's aggression.
On 12th
March, the US President Barack Obama welcomed Ukraine's interim
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk to the White House and pledged to stand with
Ukraine. Following this day, the Ukraine's parliament votes to create a 60,00
strong National Guard force to defend the country.
[1]
Orange Revolution
begins after reports of widespread vote-rigging in presidential election
nominally won by pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych.
[2] The pledge was guaranteed
through the Budapest Memorandum
on Security Assurances. This Memorandum
wss a political agreement signed in Budapest, Hungary on 5 December 1994 and it included
security assurances against threats or use of force against the territorial
integrity or political independence of Ukraine as well as those of Belarus and Kazakhstan. As a result Ukraine
gave up the world's third largest
nuclear weapons stockpile between
1994 and 1996.
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