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UKRAINE CRISIS
UKRAINE CRISIS TIMELINEi
September 2014
6 September: Ukrainian forces came under artillery fire near the strategic port of Mariupol in eastern
Ukraine after less than 24 hours of signing the ceasefire dealbetween Ukraine, Russia and pro- Russian
rebels. Before these incidents, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir
Putin discussed in telephone and agreed that overall the ceasefire was being implemented effectively.
European Leaders plan on implementing new sanctions against Russia soon for its continued support of
the rebels and its role in the conflict.
5 September: Ukraine,Russia and pro-Russian rebels signed a cease-fire dealending five months old
conflict in the eastern Ukraine. War weary residents were able to enjoy the peace after months of
fighting between pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian forces that hundreds of people dead and thousands
more displaced. Ukrainian President said that the cease-fire was based on an agreement reached with
Russian President Vladimir Putin and would be under constant watch of international monitors from the
OSCE. The agreement included prisoner release,supply of humanitarian aid to the war torn region and
withdrawal of all heavy weaponry. President Obama said he was hopeful that the ceasefire would last
but still being skeptical about Russia honoring Ukraine’s Sovereignty and rebels following through all
the agreements reached.
1 September: Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko accused Russia of openly invading Ukrainian
territory by supporting the rebels and fighting along sides the rebels changing the dynamics of battlefield
as Ukrainian forces suffers major defeat after facing superior Russian forces. Ukrainian military officials
confirmed that troops had pulled back from defending a vital airport in the east of the country, near the
city of Luhansk. Ukrainian military forces have been on a constant battle against the pro-Russian rebels
and Russian tank units there. Nearly 700 troops had been taken prisoner since the rebel
counteroffensive began. Ukrainian Defense minister said that Ukraine no longer faced a threat from

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rebels but a direct conflict with Russia.
August 2014
31 August: Russian President Vladimir Putin called on for talks on the issue of “statehood” for eastern
and southern Ukraine where the months of fighting have left a permanent scar on its local population.
However,his spokesman later said that the statement made earlier by President Putin did not mean that
he endorses rebel demands of independence for the territory they have seized.
30 August: Russian President Vladimir Putin warns western nations not to mess with a nuclear armed
Russia during an appearance at a pro-government youth camp. He warned the western nations that
Russia’s nuclear weapon were backing up its military and were ready to face any aggression.
Meanwhile, fighting continues in much of Eastern Ukraine and South Eastern Ukraine as reinvigorated
rebel forces along with regular Russian soldiers push back government forces.
29 August: Pro-Russian rebels are in complete control of the strategic town of Novoazovsk after
receiving reinforcements from the Russian Army. Reports of 6 tanks with no insignia are being reported,
but the readymade meals issued to Russian soldiers were littered in field proving that those tanks
belonged to Russian Army. A spokesman for the rebels in Novoazovsk said that their plans were to
eventually push westward to the major port city of Mariupol. This statement by the rebels could mean
that Russia and the rebels are trying to create a land bridge between mainland Russia and the recently
acquired territory of Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a statement asking the rebels to
release all the Ukrainian military personnel captured during the fighting in Eastern Ukraine.
28 August: Ukrainian officials said that Ukrainian troops were fighting against combined Russian and
rebel forces on a new southern front around the town of Novoazovsk. NATO official said that at least
1,000 Russian troops have crossed into Ukraine with advanced weaponry and are engaging Ukrainian
troops directly. Rebelforces seem to be in control of the strategic southeastern town of Novoazovsk on
the Sea of Azov. The goal of Russian forces in this strategic southeastern town looks like to open a new
front so that Ukrainian forces are diverted from the battle in Eastern Ukraine, giving the rebels fighting
in those areas some time to regroup. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psakisaid that, “These
incursions indicate a Russian-directed counteroffensive is underway in Donetsk and Luhansk.”
27 August: Russian officials denied accusation from Ukrainian officials that the captured Russian
Paratroopers were on a special mission inside Ukrainian territory. Russian officials claimed that the
captured paratroopers were lost and mistakenly crossed into Ukrainian territory when they were captured.

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This latest incident in the border region of Russia and Ukraine shows that the rebels are in desperate need
of reinforcement after facing continued attack by the government forces.
26 August: A local resident of Novoazovsk in south-eastern Ukraine said she saw a column of armored
vehicles approach the town. She reported that seven tanks rolled into the town and started firing, creating
fear and panic among the local residents. Ukrainian officials claimed that the armored columns were a
direct incursion from Russia. Ukrainian officials also claimed that the government forces have captured
Russian paratroopers in Ukraine territory and claimed that they were on a special mission when they got
caught. This appearance of armored vehicle is unusual as the town was nowhere near the rebel held
territory and had not seen as much fighting as the rest of Eastern Ukraine.
22 August: Despite Ukrainian opposition, Russia has unilaterally sent dozens of aid trucks into rebel-
held eastern Ukrainian town of Luhansk. Russian officials said that their patience had worn out and
accused Ukrainian officials of stalling the delivery of humanitarian supplies to desperate civilians
trapped in Eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian officials claim the move to be a direct invasion. Ukrainian
government believes that those aid trucks contain supplies to rebel fighters and are intended to reinforce
the fledgling rebel forces in Eastern Ukraine. Russian authorities have denied the accusation that they
are reinforcing the rebel forces and have repeatedly claimed that aid trucks contained only humanitarian
aid meant to be distributed to civilian population of the region.
21 August: Ukrainian forces suffered heavy losses as the pro-Russian rebels mount a counterattack
against the government forces along a key route to the separatist capital of Donetsk. Despite suffering
several setbacks recently, this counterattack by the rebels showed that their will is still strong and are not
going to be taken down easily. Ukrainian President and Russian President are scheduled meet in the
Belarusian capital of Minsk on August 26th
to discuss about peace process and possible compromise
between two hostile neighbors in the war torn Eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, the aid trucks sent by
Russian government are still held up in the Ukrainian border waiting for the official Red Cross escort.
17 August: Ukrainian forces moved into center of Luhansk, one of the major cities held by the rebel
forces for the first time since the conflict began. Ukrainian army units raised the national flag over a
police station in central Luhansk. Major military operations were still in progress as the rebels were still
in control of other parts of the city.
15 August: Ukraine government claims that its artillery destroyed part of the Russian armor column that
entered its territory along with the convoy of trucks hauling aid to Eastern Ukraine. Russian government

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officials denied their forces entered Ukrainian territory. The convoy of aid trucks sent by Russia is
stalled in the border as Ukrainian authorities wait to clear the convoy into Ukraine after proper
inspections.
12 August: Russia sends convoy of 280 trucks hauling essential humanitarian aid to the war torn region
of Eastern Ukraine. Russian authorities have notified their Ukrainian counterparts of the convoy and
also notified that the convoy of trucks is expected to cross into Ukrainian territory at a post that is
controlled by the Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian government officials told that the cargo would have to be
transferred into Red Cross vehicles at the border crossing after going through a detailed security check.
Ukrainian government as well as much of the western countries believes that Russia could smuggle
much needed arms and supplies to weakening rebel forces in the Eastern Ukraine.
9 August: Ukraine government claimed that Russian troops stationed near Ukrainian border attempted
to cross in guise of humanitarian aid workers. Russian officials denied the claim stating that Russian
troops did not make any attempt to cross the border. U.S. along with other E.U. nations warned Russia
that sending troops in guise of aid workers into Eastern Ukraine would be considered an “illegal”
invasion of a sovereign state. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called U.S. Secretary
of State John Kerry to point out the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Eastern Ukraine and need for
immediate assistance to prevent the situation in ground from deteriorating.
6 August: According to NATO officials, Russia is building up its troop along the Ukraine border
sparking fear of another Russian intervention in Ukraine. NATO officials reported that Russia now has
about 20,000 troops deployed along the border of eastern Ukraine. This recent troop buildup comes after
the U.S. and E.U. increased their economic sanctions against Russia. Russian defense authorities also
announced a week long military exercise which is viewed as a precursor for another intervention, as
similar military exercises preceded the annexation of Crimean peninsula in March which escalated the
tension between Russia and the West to its worst level since the end of the Cold War.
4 August: Ukraine military recaptures Donetsk as the pro-Russian rebels are unable to hold on to their
territory after not receiving supplies from Russia. About 400 Ukrainian military personnel were reported
to have crossed border into Russia. Russian officials claim that troops deserted their posts and were
seeking asylum in Russia. Ukrainian authorities did not comment on number of troops that crossed over
to Russia, but did confirm that Ukrainian military personnel crossed into Russia when they ran out of
ammunitions during a heavy fight against the pro-Russian rebels. A Ukrainian spokesman for the
Ukrainian military said that it was too early to confirm how many soldiers had crossed into Russia and

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that they were investigating into the matter.
1 August: An Ukrainian army convoy is ambushed outside the town of Shakhtarsk by pro-Russian
rebels killing at least 10 Ukrainian soldiers. The Ukrainian defense officials said in a statement that an
army convoy was struck by mortars while they were being redeployed. Heavy fighting still continues on
the outskirts of Donetsk and the recent Malaysia airlines crash site, hampering the international team of
investigators from properly investigating the crash site.
July 2014
29 July: Ukrainian military offensive against the pro-Russian rebels gains momentum as the battle-
hardened soldiers push the rebels back from previously held territories and gains more ground. This
change in fortunes can be attributed to lack of proper supplies to rebels from Russia and growing
professionalism among the ranks of Ukrainian military.
28 July: The U.S. Government claimed that Russian forces were shelling eastern Ukraine in support of
the pro-Russian rebels fighting against the Ukraine government. U.S. released civilian satellite images of
Russian guns aiming towards Ukraine and subsequent craters created by the incoming shells on the
Ukraine side of border. Russian defense officials have denied any part and accused U.S. of leading a
smear campaign against Russia.
24 July: Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk resigned after coalition support for his
government collapsed. The Prime Minister said he was resigning because of “dissolution of the
parliamentary coalition and the blocking of government initiatives”. This recent political development
paves way for an early election to be called by Ukraine President within 30 days. Ukraine’s military
reported four soldiers were killed in an offensive to capture the eastern town under the pro-Russian rebel
control.
23 July: The Ukraine government officials report that pro-Russian rebels are abandoning their posts in
the outskirts of eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk and shot down two fighter jets near the site where
Malaysian Airlines was shot down. Rebels were seen pulling back to the downtown Donetsk and
digging trenches outside the main university. This retreat by the pro-Russian rebels suggests that there is
panic among the ranks of rebels after the accidental shooting of civilian airliner killing almost 300
passengers and crew on board. International communities has expressed their outrage over the shooting

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of airliner and called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop his support of the rebels.
20 July: Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for the recent shooting of Malaysian
Airlines over eastern Ukraine. He blamed Ukrainian government on not extending the ceasefire and told
that Ukraine should be responsible for the shooting because it happened over its territory. Meanwhile,
Ukraine President along with severalother world leaders blamed Russia for supplying the rebels with
weapons and instigating hostilities in eastern Ukraine. Dutch Prime Minister along with Australian
Prime Minister promised that there will be proper investigation and that culprits will be brought to
Justice.
18 July: A commercialairliner belonging to Malaysia Airlines was shot down over the Ukrainian
airspace killing all aboard. The airliner is believed to be brought down by a surface to air missile
launched by the pro-Russian rebels. It has been reported that rebels mistook the civilian airliner for the
Ukrainian military air transport and mistakenly shot it down. This recent incident in the volatile eastern
Ukraine brings Russian President Putin into a delicate situation. He is already facing tough sanctions
from international community for his support to the rebels and the current disaster will most assuredly
increase the demands from the international community to drop his support for the rebels.
17 July: Ukrainian government said that a Russian military plane had shot down a Ukrainian fighter jet
over Ukrainian airspace. If this allegation were confirmed, this would be the first time in this months
long conflict that there has been a direct intervention by Russian forces. Although widely known that
Russia has provided heavy weaponry to the Rebels, there has been no evidence of direct involvement by
the regular Russian military.
11 July: A Ukrainian Interior Ministry official confirmed that at least 30 servicemen were killed when
pro-Russian rebels fired missile into their base. The base was located near a border crossing between
Ukraine and Russia. Border crossings are valuable to both rebels and the Ukraine government as
supplies for Russia can be acquired easily if it’s under the rebelcontrol.
8 July: Severalbridges on roads leading to the major city of Donetsk were blown up on Monday,
possibly to disrupt the military movements in the region. No side has claimed the responsibility to the
event, but strategically it is more significant to the pro-Russian rebel sides as the destruction of bridges
can hinder government’s effort to move troops and supplies around the conflict zone effectively. After

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losing the strategic town of Slavyansk to Ukrainian forces,the pro-Russian rebels have retreated to town
of Donetsk and Luhansk asking for assistance from the Russian government. Russian President Putin
seems to be more cautious not to further provoke international communities from imposing more
sanctions.
5 July: Ukrainian government forces seize the strategic town of Slavyansk. The newly renewed
offensive by the government forces against the rebels dim the hopes for a ceasefire between the
government and the rebels. Ukraine’s government said it would quickly seize more territory from the
pro-Russian rebels.
June 2014
30 June: Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko declared the end of a ceasefire between government
forces and pro-Russian rebels, despite being pressured by Russia to extend the deadline. The unilateral
ceasefire was declared so that all the parties could come to broader peace negotiations. The pro-Russian
rebels never honored the unilateral ceasefire and according to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, 27 Ukrainian
servicemen had been killed since the beginning of the ceasefire. The US State Department said it would
support whatever decision Ukraine made with regards to extending the ceasefire.
29 June: Iraqigovernment officials said that 12 new Russian warplanes along with Russian experts had
arrived in country to help the Iraqi government fight against Sunni extremists. Russian planes arrived in
Iraq and are being prepared to be in service to support Iraqi forces in three to four days. This move by
Russia was an implicit rebuke to that of the United States,which most Iraqis believe has been too slow
to supply American F-16s and attack helicopters against the fight against the extremists. This move can
also be viewed as sidelining of American policy and influence in the country as Russia takes immediate
action against the extremists whereas,the American approach has been rather slow.
27 June: Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko signed a trade and economic pact with the European
Union bringing Ukraine closer to European influence and further provoking Russia. The agreement
allows businesses in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to trade freely with the European Union countries.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said, “There will undoubtedly be serious
consequences for Ukraine and Moldova’s signing”

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25 June: The unilateralceasefire declared by Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko is in peril as rebels
violate the ceasefire,downing an army helicopter. President Obama and Vice President Biden called
President Proshenko to offer their condolences. Russia’s upper house canceled the resolution it had
passed allowing the use of the Russian military in Ukraine showing an eagerness to deescalate the
Ukraine crisis and to avoid further sanctions from the west.
24 June: Russian President Vladimir Putin asked Russia’s upper house to revoke the right it had granted
him to order a military intervention in Ukraine. Ukraine President Petro Proshenko called it a “first
practical step” towards the peace negotiation. This move comes in as EU foreign ministers were discussing
about further sanctions if Russia did not support a peace process in eastern Ukraine.
21 June: Vladimir Putin orders his troops in centralRussia into full combat alert, confirming the Russian
troop buildup near Ukraine again. This comes a day after Ukrainian President declared unilateral cease-fire
in his country against the pro-Russian militants.
20 June: Ukrainian President declares a seven- day unilateralceasefire in the eastern part of the country.
He said that his military units will not engage and will respond only if they are attacked. He also issued a
warning against the Pro-Russian militant to abandon their weapons in exchange for amnesty before the
cease-fire expires and come to negotiating table.
19 June: NATO chief says that the Russian military buildup is underway again. The reports suggest that
the tension in the border region of Ukraine and Russia is still extremely volatile.
16 June:Ukraine says Russia has cut off its gas supply amid a dispute over payment. Russia’s state-
owned oil firm Gazprom demands upfront payments from Ukraine after it failed to repay its old debts.
Gazprom said it would continue supplying gas to other countries in Europe. Tensions between Russia and
Ukraine escalate as pro-Russian separatists shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane, killing 49
people on board. On Friday, the Obama administration accuses Russia of sending tanks and other heavy
weapons to the separatists.
15 June: Ukraine fails to reach a quick breakthrough with Moscow in talks brokered by EU to avert a
Russian gas cut. According to Ukrainian sources the meeting ended quickly without any results or any

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agreements. Ukraine is willing to make a payment of $1.95 billion (1.45 billion euro) demanded by
Moscow if Russia agreed to cut its ongoing price for natural gas from $485.50 to $326 per 1,000 cubic
meters. Russian president stated that $385 per 1,000 cubic meters was the least he could offer.
14 June: Rebels shoot down Ukrainian military plane killing all 49 on board in the biggest single loss of
life in the two month insurgency.
13 June: Ukraine government claims victory over pro-Russian rebels in key port city of Mariupol.
12 June: Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists clash in a southern port town of Mariupol. United
States confirms earlier reports that convoys of armored vehicles including three T-64 Russian tanks
moves into Ukraine from Russia and are now in the hands of the rebels.
9 June: Ukraine government forces trade fire with pro-Russian separatists who control an eastern
Ukraine city of Slovyansk, after the country's new president announced daily negotiations between
Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe were underway toward
ending the conflict.
7 June: Petro Poroshenko is sworn in as Ukraine's president. He called for pro-Russian rebels to lay down
their arms and come to the negotiating table hoping to put an end to the deadly fighting in the east.
6 June: Vladimir Putin discusses ceasefire with Ukrainian president-elect Petro Poroshenko at D-Day
ceremonies.
4 June: President Obama met with the Ukrainian president-elect Petro Poroshenko to discuss plans to
counter the Russian influence in Eastern Ukraine.
3 June: Ukrainian forces launch an offensive to retake the eastern city of Slovyansk from pro-Russian
rebels. NATO pledges to bolster its defense capabilities in Europe. President Obama calls Congress to
support his plan to increase the U.S military presence in the European continent.
2 June: Russia gives Ukraine more time to pay gas bills. The deadline for the state energy giant,

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Gazprom, to cut off the supply was extended by a week after last-minute negotiations.
May2014
30 May: Newly elected president Petro Poroshenko vowed to take action against pro-Russian rebels who
shot down a Ukrainian army helicopter near the eastern city of Slovyansk, which killed 14 soldiers. The
army has been seeking to oust the rebels from eastern areas where they have taken control. Russia
threatened to cut off the gas supply to Ukraine if it fails to make a payment. One third of Europe’s gas
comes from Russia; about half that supply passes through Ukraine. However,Russia’s European
customers would not be affected by the shutdown
29 May: Pro- Russian rebels shoot down a military helicopter in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk,
killing 14 soldiers
28 May: The Ukrainian government says it has taken control of the airport in the eastern city of Donetsk
following fierce clashes with separatist rebels. The Ukrainian government says 48 people were killed,
nearly all rebel fighters. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has announced it lost
contact with four monitors who were in Donetsk during the airport standoff.
27 May: At least 30 pro-Russian rebels are killed in fierce fighting at the airport in the eastern city of
Donetsk. The Ukrainian government bombarded the airport with air strikes. The fighting began just hours
after the pro-European billionaire candy tycoon Petro Poroshenko won Ukraine’s first presidential
election since the ouster of Viktor Yanukovych.
26 May: Petro Poroshenko is elected as the new president. He vows to unite the divided country and bring
peace to his nation.
25 May: Ukraine holds a presidential election while most of the polling stations in the eastern part of the
country remain closed as rebels vowed to block the ballot and pro-Russian gunmen threatening and
intimidating locals by smashing ballot boxes and issuing threats.

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22 May: Rebels attack a Ukrainian soldier checkpoint in eastern Ukraine,killing 14 soldiers.
19 May: Putin orders Russian troops stationed near Ukraine’s border to withdraw. NATO claims that there
is no evidence of the Russian pullback and that the troops are still holding their positions.
15 May: Russia warns Ukraine that it will stop supplying gas at the end of the month unless the country
pays in advance.
14 May: Senior Ukrainian officials and leading public figures from Ukraine begins talk in Kiev without
representation from any separatist groups to end the violence that broke out in eastern part of Ukraine.
Oleksandr Yefremov, a member of Parliament from Luhansk was one of the participants in this talk.
12 May: Russia keeps its distance from the referendums and stops short on Monday of recognizing the
contentious referendums organized by separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk, Russian-speaking provinces of
southeast Ukraine.
11 May: The city of Donetsk and Luhansk are declared independent by the pro-Russian separatists after
the referendums were not recognized by Kiev or the West.
9 May: Ukrainian forces attack a militant-held police station, signaling what appears to be a major
escalation in the interim government’s fight with pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine. Russian
President Putin urges the separatists to delay the referendum and that all sides settle their differences
through dialogue.
8 May: Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Andriy Parubiy announced that anti-
terrorist operations in the east will continue.
7 May: Putin announced pullback from Ukraine border. Russian President Putin announced that Russia
would honor Ukraine’s presidential election on May 25.

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6 May: Ukrainian interior minister says up to 30 pro-Russian insurgents and four soldiers died in the
eastern city of Slovyansk as the Ukraine military continues its assault to reassert control over the
territories controlled by the rebels.
5 May: Ukraine suffers the worst violence in months as conflict spreads. At least 46 people died when a
massive blaze erupted at a base where the two sides were fighting. Pro-Russian separatists attacked an
Odessa police station, freeing dozens of prisoners
3 May: Ukraine’s security forces try to reclaim the pro-Russian stronghold of Slovyansk. The seven
military observers from OSCE that were being held by the pro-Russian rebels in eastern Slovyansk are
released.
2 May: Ukrainian forces launch a major assault to reclaim the eastern city of Slovyansk from pro-Russian
separatists,sparking the worst fighting since the pro-Russian uprising began. Pro-Russian forces shoot
down two Ukrainian army helicopters, killing a pilot and another soldier.
1 May: Acting President Olexander Turchynov reinstates conscription, warning that Ukraine is on full
combat alert.
April 2014
30 April: Pro-Russian separatists seize new areas in eastern Ukraine as the central government in Kiev is
unable to project its power effectively conceding more grounds to the rebels. The pro-Russian militants
are now in control of two provincial capitals in eastern Ukraine.
29 April: A large crowd of pro-Russian militants seizes the regional administration’s office in the city of
Lhansk.
28April: The United States announces new sanctions on Russia in the continued standoff over the crisis
in Ukraine. President Obama expands the list of Russian individuals and firms.
27 April: Pro-Russian forces in Ukraine released one of the 8 OSCE members being detained. The self-

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appointed mayor of the breakaway city Slovyansk released a detainee who is from Sweden due to
deteriorating health conditions.
26 April: Foreign military observers are being held in eastern Ukraine. A pro-Russian insurgency group
in eastern Ukraine detained foreign military observers as suspected NATO spies. Vyacheslav Ponomarev,
self-proclaimed mayor of Slovyansk, describes the detained observers as “captives” and said that they are
spies from NATO member states.
25 April: A U.S. journalist Simon Ostrovsky who was abducted by pro-Russian separatist,has been
released. Vice News correspondent Simon was being held since 21 April under the basis of alleged links
to the Ukrainian pro-government party.
24 April: Ukrainian forces killed five pro-Russian rebels in the eastern town of Slovyansk. Ukrainian
troops have also stated that they captured severalrebel checkpoints in the area.
22 April: Ukraine's acting president orders relaunch of military operations against pro-Russian militants in
the east after two men, one a local politician, are found "tortured to death" in Donetsk region.
21 April: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accuses Kiev of breaking the Geneva agreement. Kiev
releases photos as "proof" of Russian soldiers operating in eastern Ukraine - what the photos say.
20 April: The shooting of three people manning a pro-Russian checkpoint near Sloviansk outrages Russia,
which blames it on Ukrainian nationalists.
19 April: The appearance of threatening anti-Semitic leaflets in Donetsk spreads alarm among Jews
though pro-Russian forces dismiss them as a hoax to discredit them.
18 April: Pro-Russia groups say they will not be moved from occupied buildings until the government in
Kiev, which they see as illegitimate, is also removed. Russia condemns talks of more sanctions. Ukraine
interim government pledges broad independent governance and says Russian language will be given a
"special status"in the country.

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17 April: Russia, Ukraine, the US and the EU say they have agreed at talks in Geneva on steps to "de-
escalate"the crisis in eastern Ukraine. Three people are killed when Ukrainian security forces fend off a
raid on a base in Mariupol. In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin warns Ukraine is heading into
an "abyss" by confronting pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country. He also dismisses claims that
Russian agents are acting in eastern Ukraine.
17 April: Diplomats meeting for emergency talks on the crisis in Ukraine issued a joint statement
Thursday aimed at de-escalating the tensions and ensuring the security of all Ukrainians.
16 April: Anti-terrorist operation quickly stalls: pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine seize six
armoured vehicles after they are blockaded by civilians and gunmen in the town of Kramatorsk. There is
also an angry confrontation between civilians and soldiers in a village nearby.
15 April: Ukraine's acting President, Olexander Turchynov, announces start of "anti-terrorist operation"
against pro-Russian separatists.
14 April: Administration building of Slavyansk seized and armed group ask Putin to send troops. Putin
and Obama confront each other during telephone talks. EU foreign ministers agree to expand the list of
those hit with sanctions for their role in the Ukraine crisis.
12 April: In eastern Ukraine, occupations of official buildings by pro-Russian protesters and militants
multiply.
11 April: Ukraine's Interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk offers to devolve more powers to the
eastern regions, as pro-Russia occupations in Donetsk and Luhansk continue.
11 April: Nato's decision to release over 20 satellite images and associated maps of the Russian military
build-up on Ukraine's eastern frontier is a signal of the concern among the alliance's commanders that a
Russian military option against Ukraine is very much on the table
11 April: Ukraine's Interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk offers to devolve more powers to the

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eastern regions, as pro-Russia occupations in Donetsk and Luhansk continue.
10 April: Russian President Vladimir Putin says that gas supplies to Ukraine could be cut if Kiev does
not pay off its debts, and warns this could affect gas deliveries to Europe.
10 April: Russia says that satellite images released by Nato, which purportedly show Russian troops
massed on the Ukrainian border in recent weeks, are from August 2013. Nato defends the accuracy of the
images
9 April: Ukraine's interior minister has issued an ultimatum to those protesters who have taken over
government buildings in two cities in the east of the country, saying that the standoff will be resolved in
the next 48 hours, either through negotiations or by force.
8 April: Ukraine parliament approves legislation outlawing groups and individuals who call for
separatism.
8 April: 70 people are arrested in anti-terrorist operation in Kharkiv, Interior Ministry says.
8 April: U.S. Navy warship USS Donald Cook is scheduled to enter the Black Sea no later than 10 April.
8 April: Russia warned that any use of force in Ukraine's eastern region could lead to civil war, as Kiev
seeks to regain control after pro-Moscow uprisings in three cities.
5 April: Russia's natural gas giant Gazprom raised the price of Ukrainian gas by 81 percent and now
requires the ex-Soviet state to pay the highest rate of any of its European clients.
4 April: The top three candidates standing in Ukraine's 25 May presidential election are all familiar faces
to the public, but their prospects have changed since the country's political upheaval. Campaigning will
begin shortly.
3 April: President Barack Obama brought congressional leaders to the White House on Thursday for talks
on the Ukraine crisis, with diplomatic efforts between the United States and Russia facing a hard slog.

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2 April: Ukraine's deposed President Viktor Yanukovych says Russia's annexation of Crimea is "a
tragedy", expressing hope that the region will become part of Ukraine again.
1 April: NATO foreign ministers suspend all practical civilian and military co-operation with Russia
at a meeting in Brussels. The military alliance also says it sees no sign of a Russian troop pullout from
Ukraine's border.
March 2014
31 March: Russian troops partly withdraw from Ukrainian border in the south region of Rostov in Russia,
following talks between Russia's foreign minister and his US counterpart. Meanwhile, Russia's Prime
Minister Dmitry Medvedev visits Crimea promising funds and pay increase.
31 March: Russian President Vladimir Putin orders a "partial withdrawal" of troops from the border
with Ukraine, the German government announces.
31 March: Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev becomes the country’s highest-ranking official to
visit Crimea - a move condemned by Kiev as a "crude violation" of international rules.
30 March: Russian military drills near neighboring Finland have provoked concern that northern Europe
may be the next focus of Moscow's seemingly renewed appetite for redrawing its borders. Troops and jet
fighters from all four military regions of Russia were deployed Sunday about 150 miles east of the Finnish
border
30 March: Ukraine holds a memorial service on the 40th day of killings of 103 Ukrainian activists at
Kiev's Independence Square. Later on the day, US Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Russian
counterpart Sergei Lavrov for Ukraine talks.
29 March: Ukraine's presidential race begins with former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and
billionaire confectionary tycoon Petro Poroshenko registaring as hopefuls. Former heavyweight
champion Vitali Klitschko pulls out of the race,giving his backing to Poroshenko and urging
Tymoshenko to do the same.
28 March: The US Congress agreed a major aid package to Ukraine on Thursday, overcoming weeks
of partisan disagreement that has held up around $1bn in loan guarantees to Kiev.

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28 March: Amid signs of a big build-up of Russian forces on Ukraine's eastern border,US President
Barack Obama urges Moscow to "move back its troops" and lower tensions.
28 March: Ukraine's deposed president, Viktor Yanukovich, calls for each of the country's regions to
hold a referendum on its status "within Ukraine". Meanwhile, US sources say Russia's buildup near
Ukraine may reach 40,000 troops.
27 March: International Monetary Fund announces $14-$18bn rescue for Ukraine as part of a broader
package released by other governments and agencies amounting to $27bn over the next two years.
Meanwhile, UN General Assembly approves resolution declaring Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea
illegal.
26 March: Russia's military chief of staff says that the Russian flag was flying at all 193 military
installations in Crimea following takeover of Ukrainian bases and ships by Russian troops.
25 March: Oleksandr Turchynov, Ukraine's acting president, orders troops to withdraw from Crimea
after Russia seized and annexed the peninsula. Turchynov told legislators that both servicemen and their
families would now be relocated to the mainland.
24 March: Leaders of the Group of Seven nations, meeting without Russia, agreed to hold their own
summit this year instead of attending a planned G8 meeting, due to have taken place June 4-5, in Sochi,
along the Black Sea coast from Crimea, and to suspend their participation in the G8 until Russia changes
course.
They warn Moscow it faces damaging economic sanctions if President Putin takes further action to
destabilize Ukraine following the seizure of Crimea.
24 March: Ukrainian troops leave Crimea, following emotional farewells to wives and family members
left behind. The pullout follows an order by Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov.
23 March: About 189 military sites in Crimea are now under the control of Russian troops. Obama calls

18. 18
an emergency G7 meeting, excluding Russia, to be held as an off-shoot to Monday's G8 nuclear security
summit.
22 March: Soldiers take control of Ukrainian air base in Belbek, as Novofedorovka naval base is seized
by pro-Russian activists. Crimea celebrates joining Russia.
21 March: Russia backs off from tit-for-tat sanctions after US targets Putin's inner circle and EU adds 12
names to sanctions list. Ukraine says it will never accept loss of Crimea while Moscow signs a bill to
formally annex the peninsula.
20 March: EU leaders gathered in Brussels condemn Russia's "annexation" of Crimea and extend the list
of individuals targeted for sanctions. The US also extends sanctions
20 March: EU leaders condemn Russia's annexation of Crimea. EU and U.S. extend the list of
individuals targeted for sanctions.
19 March: U.N. Secretary GeneralBan Ki-moon is heading to Moscow and Kiev to try to resolve the
crisis between Russia and Ukraine over the Crimean Peninsula.
19 March: Vice President Joe Biden declared Wednesday the United States will respond to any
aggression against its NATO allies, as Russia's neighbors looked warily to the escalating crisis in nearby
Ukraine.
19 March: Pro-Russian activists, apparently Crimean self-defense forces, overtake Sevastopol base
without using violence.
18 March: Putin signs treaty absorbing Crimea into Russia, the first time the Kremlin expands the
country's borders since World War II. Kiev says the conflict has reached a "military stage" after a
Ukrainian soldier was shot and killed by gunmen who stormed a military base in Simferopol.
Crimea's pro-Kremlin police department says a member of the local self-defense forces was also killed in
the same incident.

19. 19
18 March: Biden will meet with Poland's president and prime minister, plus the presidents of
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The White House says the leaders plan to discuss ways to support
Ukraine's sovereignty. They'll also discuss the defense commitments that NATO allies have to one
another.
18 March: The G7 group of industrialized nations had already suspended preparations for a planned
G8 summit in the Russian city of Sochi. Now, U.S. President Barack Obama has invited his
counterparts from the other G7 countries and the European Union to a meeting of next week on the
margins of a nuclear security summit in The Hague, U.S. National Security Council spokeswoman
Caitlin Hayden said.
18 March: China has quietly split from Russia over Crimea -- on the same issue of sovereignty.
U.S. officials say they are consulting closely with China on Ukraine, trying to further isolate Russia by
portraying its actions in Crimea as outside international norms.
17 March: The US and Europe put asset freezes and visa bans on individuals involved in the
Crimean breakaway. Putin approves a decree recognizing Crimea as an independent state. Local
assembly chief says Ukrainian soldiers in Crimea must switch sides or leave.
16 March: Official results from Crimea's secession referendum say 97% of voters back a proposal to
join Russia.
16 March: Mr. McCain, after returning from a visit to Ukraine his latest visit since December, said
on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the U.S. needs a “fundamental reassessment of our
relationship with Vladimir Putin.”
15 March: Moscow vetoes a draft UN resolution criticizing Crimea's secession referendum in Crimea.
13 March: Ukraine's parliament votes to create a 60,000-strong National Guard to defend the country.
13 March: German Chancellor Angela Merkel warns Moscow of potentially "massive" long-term
economic and political damage. Ukraine mobilizes a volunteer "Home Guard". Crimean Tatar leader

20. 20
Mustafa Czhemilev calls for a referendum boycott and NATO intervention to avert a "massacre".
12 March: Barack Obama pledges to stand with Ukraine during a meeting with welcomes interim
Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk at the White House.
12 March: Vice President Joe Biden cut short his trip to Latin America, nixing a planned stop in
the Dominican Republic so he can attend Wednesday's meeting, an aide to Biden said. Biden had
been the White House's prime point of contact with Ukraine's president, Viktor Yanukovich, before he
fled to Russia last month following violent clashes in Kiev
11 March: The European Commission offers Ukraine trade incentives worth nearly 500m euros
($694m;
£417m). Ukrainian MPs ask the US and UK to use all measures, including military, to stop
Russia's aggression. Crimean regional parliament adopts a "declaration of independence".
10 March: Armed men seize a military hospital in Simferopol.
10 March: NATO announces it will start reconnaissance flights over Poland and Romania to monitor
the situation in neighboring Ukraine where Russian forces have taken control of Crimea.
8 March: The US and France warn of "new measures"against Russia if it does not withdraw its forces
from Ukraine. Warning shots are fired at international monitors trying to enter Crimea.
7 March: Russia says it will support Crimea if the region votes to leave Ukraine. Russia's state gas
company Gazprom warns Kiev that its gas supply might be cut off. Ukraine sends just one athlete to
the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Sochi.
7 March: Ukraine offers talks with Russia over Crimea, but on the condition that the Kremlin
withdraws troops from the autonomous republic. Meanwhile, top Russian politicians meet Crimea's
delegation with standing ovation and express their support for the region's aspirations of joining Russia.
6 March: Crimea's parliament votes to join Russia and schedules a referendum for 16 March.

21. 21
5 March: US Secretary of State John Kerry seeks to arrange a face-to-face meeting between Russian
and Ukrainian foreign ministers. However, Sergey Lavrov refuses to talk to his Ukrainian counterpart,
Andriy Deshchytsia. Meanwhile, NATO announces a full review of its cooperation with Russia.
OSCE sends 35 unarmed military personnel to Ukraine for "providing an objective assessment of facts on
the ground."
4 March: Vladimir Putin breaks his silence, saying the armed men besieging Ukrainian forces in Crimea
are not Russian troops but are self-defense forces.
3 March: "Black Monday" on Russian stock markets as reports suggest Russia's military had issued
a deadline for Ukrainian forces in Crimea to surrender. The reports are later denied. Russia's UN envoy
says toppled President Yanukovych had asked the Russian president in writing for use of force.
3 March: NATO says Moscow is threatening peace and security in Europe - claims Russia says will
not help stabilize the situation. Russia's Black Sea Fleet tells Ukrainian navy in Sevastopol in Crimea to
surrender or face a military assault.
2 March: Ukraine's interim PM Yatsenyuk says Russia has effectively declared war. US says Russia is
in control of Crimea.
1 March: Russian parliament approves Vladimir Putin's request to use force in Ukraine to protect
Russian interests. Pro-Russian rallies are held in several Ukrainian cities outside Crimea, including
the second- biggest city Kharkiv. Barack Obama tells Mr. Putin to pull forces back to bases.
February 2014
27-28 February: Pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings in the Crimean capital, Simferopol.
Unidentified gunmen in combat uniforms appear outside Crimea's main airports. At his first news
conference since fleeing to Russia, Mr. Yanukovych insists he remains president.
23-26 February: Parliament names speaker Olexander Turchynov as interim president. An arrest warrant

22. 22
is issued for Mr. Yanukovych, and the acting president warns of the dangers of separatism. Members
of the proposed new government appear before demonstrators, with Arseniy Yatsenyuk nominated prime
minister. The elite Berkut police unit, blamed for deaths of protesters, is disbanded.
23 February: Secretary Jacob J. Lew spoke by phone with Ukrainian leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk en
route back to Washington, D.C. from the G-20 meeting in Sydney, Australia. Secretary Lew expressed
that the United States, together with Europe and others in the international community, are ready to
supplement an IMF program to cushion the impact of reforms on low-income Ukrainians. Secretary
Lew and Mr. Yatsenyuk agreed to stay in close contact over the coming days and weeks as Ukraine
moved forward rapidly to establish political and economic stability.
22 February:
President Yanukovych disappears
Protesters take controlof presidential administration buildings
Parliament votes to remove president from power with elections set for 25 May
Mr Yanukovych appears on TV to denounce "coup"
His arch-rival Yulia Tymoshenko is freed from jail
21 February: President Yanukovych signs compromise deal with opposition leaders.
20 February: Kiev sees its worst day of violence for almost 70 years. At least 88 people are killed in
48 hours. Video shows uniformed snipers firing at protesters holding makeshift shields.
18 February: Clashes erupt, with reasons unclear: 18 dead, including seven police, and hundreds
more wounded. Some 25,000 protesters are encircled in Independence Square.
14-16 February: All 234 protesters arrested since December are released. Kiev city hall, occupied since
1 December, is abandoned by demonstrators, along with other public buildings in regions.
January 2014
28-29 January: Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigns and parliament annuls the anti-protestlaw.

23. 23
Parliament passes amnesty bill promising to drop charges against all those arrested in unrest if
protesters leave government buildings. Opposition rejects conditions.
16-23 January: Parliament passes restrictive anti-protest laws, Days later two people die of
gunshot wounds as clashes turn deadly for first time. Third death reported as the body of high-profile
activist Yuriy Verbytsky is found. Protesters begin storming regional government offices in western
Ukraine.
December 2013
17 December: Vladimir Putin throws President Yanukovych an economic lifeline, agreeing to buy $15bn
of Ukrainian debt and reduce the price of Russian gas supplies by about a third.
Early December: Protesters occupy Kiev city hall and Independence Square in dramatic style, turning
it into a tent city. Biggest demonstration yet sees 800,000 people attend demonstration in Kiev.
November 2013
Late November: Protests gather pace, as 100,000 people attend demonstration in Kiev, the largest
in Ukraine since the Orange Revolution. Police launch first raid on protesters, arresting 35. Images of
injured demonstrators raise international profile of the protests.
30 November: Public support grows for pro-EU anti-government protesters as images of them bloodied
by police crackdown spread online and in the media.
21 November: President Yanukovych's cabinet abandons an agreement on closer trade ties with
EU, instead seeks closer co-operation with Russia. Ukrainian MPs also reject a bill to allow Yulia
Tymoshenko to leave the country. Small protests start and comparisons with Orange Revolution begin.
2010

24. 24
February: Viktor Yanukovych declared winner in presidential election, judged free and fair by
observers. His main rival, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, is arrested for abuse of powers and
eventually jailed in October 2011.
2004
December: Opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko tops poll in election re-run. Rival candidate
Viktor Yanukovych challenges result but resigns as prime minister.
November: Orange Revolution begins after reports of widespread vote-rigging in presidential
election nominally won by pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych. Opposition candidate Viktor
Yushchenko leads mass street protests and civil disobedience. Supreme Court annuls result of poll.
1991
August: Ukrainian parliament declares independence from USSR following attempted coup in Moscow.
In nationwide referendum in December, 90% vote for independence.
i
Ukraine Timeline
Created by Travis Wondergem, CCO Intern, Spring 2014, Grand ValleyState University(Michigan) , Class of 2014
Updated by Samip Shrestha, CCO Intern, Summer 2014, Pennsylvania State University, Class of 2014