Crimea - Introduction
“We cannot imagine Ukraine without Crimea. As long as Crimea is under Russian occupation, it means one thing: The war is not over,” is just one of the many points that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes at international fora and in the media. Zelenskyy maintains a clear position on this. US President Barack Obama justified the weak reaction of the US to the 2014 Crimean occupation, saying: “There is a reason … there lived a Russian-speaking population who had sympathy for Russia.”
The occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014 is illegal. The transfer of Crimea to the Ukrainian SSR was a collective decision by Soviet authorities and dictated by pragmatic considerations and not by a “drunk Khrushchev.” Furthermore, it was an attempt to overcome the consequences of the deportation of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and the devastation of the Second World War – not a generous gift to Soviet Ukraine. Crimea has always been connected to mainland Ukraine, both geographically and politically.
The Autonomous Republic of Crimea occupies the territory of the Crimean peninsula that is situated on the south of Ukraine. Territory is 26.100 sq. km, that makes 4.3% of the territory of Ukraine. extent: from the west to the east - 360 km, from the north to the south – 180 km. Borders with Kherson oblast; neighboring regions: Zaporozhye oblast, Krasnodar krai of the Russian Federation. The most southern point is sarych Cape; the most western point is Priboiyniy Cape; the most eastern point is Fonar Cape.
Prior to its own independence, Ukraine demonstrated its presumptive control of Crimea when, on 30 March 1990, Ukraine required Crimean Russians to set their clocks to the same time as the rest of Ukraine, rather than align their time with Moscow. In response to Gorbachev's planned reforms, in January 1991, prior to the Alma-Ata accords, Crimea held a referendum (the Crimean Sovereignty Referendum) where voters were asked whether they wanted to re-establish the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, that had been abolished in 1954. Specifically, the referendum asked whether Crimea wanted to become an Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic as a subject of the USSR, not a subject of Ukraine. Approximately, ninety-four percent (93.26%) of voters approved the referendum.
Leonid Kravchuk (then President of Ukraine), committed to prevent Crimea from seceding from Ukraine, visited Crimea on the day when its parliament was scheduled to vote on the law regulating the local referendum that was to put the question of the Crimea's secession to a popular vote. He "convinced" the "former communist elite, who had worked with Kyiv since 1954, to postpone the vote on the law. Their opponents in parliament, represented by the Republican Movement of the Crimea, were outvoted.
In February 1992, the Crimean Parliament transformed Crimea into the "Republic of Crimea," and on 5 May 1992, declared Crimea independent, a decision to be approved by a referendum scheduled for 2 August 1992.28 In January 1992, the Russian Foreign Ministry and parliament condemned the transfer of Crimea to Ukraine in 1954. In April 1992, Russian Vice President Ruskoi visited Crimea and called for secession from Ukraine. In response, the Ukrainian parliament, on 15 May 1992, annulled the Crimean declaration of independence and ordered the Crimean parliament to cancel the referendum.
On 25 September 1992, the Republic of Crimea adopted its first post-Soviet constitution, which established Crimea as a State virtually equal in legal status as Ukraine, with the legal personality to conclude accords with Third States. In 1998, Ukraine finally achieved its goal of effacing Crimean independence, with the adoption of the 23 December 1998 Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
The most important sea ports are Yevpatoria, Yalta, Feodosia and Kerch. Climate. Crimea occupies position between moderate and subtropical geographical belts that favors to the mild climate of the peninsula and large amount of sunshine hours (2180 – 2470 hours per year). The Crimean peninsula relief is represented by three unequal parts: plain Crimea, Kerch peninsula and mountainous Crimea that consists of the Main range of Crimean Mountains with the southern Coast of Crimea and the Inner and outer submontane ranges. The Crimean peninsula is washed by the Black sea and the sea of Azov.
Crimea led the top 20 places to visit in 2013, according to National Geographic Traveler. The publication identified Crimea - a paradise with views worthy of the Riviera, but with lower prices. The authors noted a place to be visited, visiting the Crimea (submarine base in Balaklava, Livadia Palace, a resort with mud, Massandra vineyards, etc.). Besides recommend tourists to try the kitchen, especially pasties, Lagman, rice and of course, the Crimean wines will leave no one indifferent. The rating included: the French city of Marseille, the District of Raja Ampat in Papua New Guinea, the Italian city of Ravenna, the capital of Ecuador, Quito. Also in the top - 20 included the Canadian island of Cape Brenton, the Greek city of Castor, Uganda, the Norwegian port of Bodo and others.
The territory of Crimea is notable for significant natural diversity. Crimean mountains located in the southern part of the peninsula determine the division of the territory for the northern – plain one (so called steppe Crimea) and southern mountainous one (mountainous Crimea). Alongside southern foot of the Crimean Mountains a narrow pebble line of the southern coast of Crimea is spread. The Crimean Mountains have steep edges faced to the coast; their opposite slopes are fl at. The highest mountain points are Roman-Kosh (1545 m), Ai Petri (1232 m), Chatir- Dag (1527), Northern Demedgi (1356 m). Cliffs with height of 200 and 400 meters are spread along the coast from Aiya cape to Gurzuf village.
An advantageous economic and geographical position of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea is determined by the fact that the autonomy occupies the territory of the Crimean peninsula that is situated in the south of the eastern europe between 44° 23´ – 46°15´ north latitude and 32°29´ – 36°39´ east longitude. Time belt of Crimea is +2 Greenwich. Crimea is situated in the latitudinal belt of the earth that is located at equal distance from the equator and the North Pole. In the north the peninsula is connected with the continent by Perekop narrow isthmus (7-23 km). In the east and south the peninsula is washed by the Black sea, in the west – by the Kerch strait, and in the north-east – by waters of the sea of Azov and its sivash bay.
Crimea is a pearl of the Black Sea, a sun-drenched land, washed by the warm blue sea. The steep cliffs of the mountains, blue expanse of the sea, deep ravines, shady forests and parks, mountain waterfalls strike visitor’s eyes and excite their hearts. It is here on the South Coast of Crimea where are found the natural places of almost all countries - Italy, Japan, Spain, Australia, Greece and Mexico. These gracious shores have ancient and rich history. The Greeks and Romans, Huns and Byzantines, Genoese and Turkscame to this land and left it. Scythians, Alans and Slavs fought against them. The defensive walls of Taurus settlements, the ruins of Byzantine and Genoese fortifications and other ancient monuments evidence the ancient past.
Mountains of the South Coast of Crimea tightly stand above the coastal plains, beaches, gardens protecting them from harsh northern wind breath. The turbulent rivers flow down the mountain slopes forming amazing waterfalls. Crimean vegetation is dense and diverse. There are more than seven thousand species and varieties of plants, including exotic species. There are many representatives of Mediterranean flora in the forests: juniper, arbutus, pistachio tree, ruscus,jasmine, rock-rose. Crimean pine trees grow on impregnable rocks and towering cliffs. And mighty cedars, magnolias, palms andgiant redwoods grow in the park area of the coast. Vineyards and orchards stretching in the valleys attract with their diversity - peaches, apricots, apples, pears, plums, figs. Diversity of mountain herbs will also not let anybody stay indifferent. And local beekeepers are really fond of coriander and lavender plantings. Crimean honey is a special delight; it is a product of bees, flowers, sun and Crimean wind that remembers everything that has been happening in Crimea hundreds of years ago.
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