The peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, has long been coveted by Moscow, who want Ukraine to officially surrender the territory as part of a peace deal - something Ukraine does not want to do.
has rejected this on multiple occasions, saying that formally surrendering the land has always been a red line, and goes against Kyiv's constitution.
has rejected this on multiple occasions, saying that formally surrendering the land has always been a red line, and goes against Kyiv's constitution.
Those troops arrived in Crimea in uniforms without insignia, and Mr. Putin soon called a vote on joining Russia that Ukraine and the West dismissed as illegal.
Moscow's illegal annexation on 18 March 2014 was only recognized internationally by a few countries, including North Korea and Sudan.
In Russia, it sparked a wave of patriotism, and "Kym Nash" - meaning "Crimea is ours" - became a rallying cry.
Mr. Putin has called Crimea "a sacred place" and has prosecuted people who publicly argue it is part of Ukraine.
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