Page:2020-07-29 PSI Staff Report - The Art Industry and U.S. Policies that Undermine Sanctions.pdf/24

 strategically important geographic location, but also because it "violated the terms of a diplomatic agreement to respect Ukraine's borders, and placed Russia on a war footing with one of the few states in the post-Soviet world that has managed to hold free elections." The Crimean parliament then voted to secede from Ukraine and join Russia, scheduling a referendum for ten days later. When the referendum was held, 97 percent voted in favor of secession. Two days later, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty of accession with the new leaders of Crimea. Putin delivered an address in conjunction with the signing, asserting that Crimea was a part of Russia and confirming his disregard for an international border that was recognized for 23 years. The United States, European Union, and Ukraine refused to recognize the annexation. While maintaining that the annexation was illegal, the Ukrainian government withdrew military personnel and their families from Crimea.

Since that time, Russia "has significantly increased its military presence in Crimea and suppressed local dissent." Ukrainian officials now estimate 30,000 Russian troops are stationed in the region. During the Russian occupation, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights "documented 'multiple and grave' human rights violations in Crimea and said that minority Crimean Tatars, who are generally opposed to Russia's occupation, have been 'particularly targeted."