Day After Troops 'Retreat' From Ukraine, Russia to End Military Drills in Crimea

Crimea has been a de facto federal subject of the Russian Federation since it was annexed in 2014.

Map of Ukraine, Crimea, and Russia. Crimea has been shaded in both yellow and orange due to the Russian annexation and de facto Russian control. 

(Photo: iStock).

The Russian Defence Ministry announced on Wednesday, 16 February, that military drills in Crimea would be ending, according to news agency AFP.

The move is significant in the context of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis because it comes one day after the Russian government reportedly ordered its troops to retreat to its bases at the Ukrainian borders.

"Units of the Southern Military District, having completed their participation in tactical exercises, are moving to their permanent deployment points", a defence ministry spokesperson said in the context of the military drills in Crimea, as quoted by AFP and Russian state news agencies.

Visuals provided by AFP and Reuters show military units crossing a bridge that connects the Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland.

While Crimea enjoyed significant autonomy, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, it was de facto a part of Ukraine with respect to territorial sovereignty.

Crimea has 1.45 million Russians (60.4 percent of the total population) and 577,000 Ukrainians (24 percent of the total population).

Russia had invaded and annexed Crimea in March 2014 after a revolution in Ukraine overthrew the then President Viktor Yanukovych, who was running a a pro-Moscow regime in Kyiv.

Additionally, the Crimean Status Referendum held by the Supreme Council of Crimea (SCC) to determine the future of the Crimean people, resulted in a 97 percent vote in favour of the Russian Federation.

The referendum was criticised internationally as being rigged.

Consequently, the SCC declared Crimea to be independent of Ukraine, and has since then been a de facto federal subject of the Russian Federation.

Internationally, however, Crimea continued to be recognised as a part of Ukraine.

You can read in detail about the annexation of Crimea here.

'Wars Rarely Start on a Wednesday'

Meanwhile, Russia's envoy to the European Union, has categorically denied any suggestion regarding a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"As far as Russia is concerned, I can assure you that there will be no attack this Wednesday," Vladimir Chizhov told Die Welt, a German national daily newspaper.

"There will be no escalation in the coming week either, or in the week after that, or in the coming month. Wars in Europe rarely start on a Wednesday," he added.

Ukraine Hit by Cyberattacks 

At least 10 Ukrainian websites were compromised due to cyberattacks on Tuesday, 15 February, according to the authorities in Kyiv.

Some of the websites were of the Defense Ministry, the Foreign Ministry, the Culture Ministry and also of the two largest state banks in the country, The Associated Press reported.

The Ukrainian Information Ministry's Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security suggested a Russian role in the attack, given the ongoing tensions.

Ukraine fell victim to cyberattacks last month as well, with government websites consisting of a message that said "be afraid and expect the worst".

A Russian role was suspected then as well, although the Kremlin denied any involvement.

(With inputs from AFP, Reuters, and AP)