Notably, Crimea belonged to Russia since the defeat of the Crimean Khanate in 1783, when Russians ethnically cleansed half of the native Crimean population, and

Notably, Crimea belonged to Russia since the defeat of the Crimean Khanate in 1783, when Russians ethnically cleansed half of the native Crimean population, and in 1944 Stalin deported the entire ethnically Crimean population that was left to Uzbekistan. The only reason there are Crimeans in Crimea today is that after the fall of USSR, Ukraine allowed them to return. Also, Crimea voted 54% to stay with Ukraine in 1991 referendum.