Most of the world does not recognize Russia's subsequent annexation of the territory of Crimea.

The problem of Crimea will not be resolved quickly. Though Putin declared in his annexation speech that Crimea is an inseparable part of Russia, his behavior will turn against him.

MADRID Even Mikhail Gorbachev, who presided over the dissolution of the Soviet Union with scarcely a shot fired, has proclaimed his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin s annexation of Crimea. The people of Crimea, he says, have corrected a historic Soviet error.

The strategy that emerged, beginning with the annexation of Crimea, delivered results almost immediately. The Russian public moved into emergency mode, with Putin s approval rating soaring above 80 .

One high ranking official, Sergei Belyakov, already lost his job, when he dared to apologize for the decision on Facebook. Anonymous International also jokes that Medvedev opposes Russia's annexation of Crimea, an acquisition that Russians have christened simply KrymNash, or Crimea is ours. Just this week, Medvedev was photographed in Crimea signing a map with this slogan.

Putin gained the upper hand early in the crisis with the annexation of Crimea. Now, in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, he is shrewdly forcing a divided and risk averse West to choose between war and accommodation.

With Russia s invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea, the disintegration of Iraq s and Syria s borders, and increasing Chinese assertiveness in the South and East China Seas, the post Cold War era appears to have ended in 2014. Is that true?

Their economic relationship, too, seems to be progressing. Last May, shortly after the annexation of Crimea, Russia announced a 400 billion deal to supply 38 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas to China annually for 30 years, beginning in 2019.

They still do. Today s Russians hope that Putin, who blindsided his opponents with his annexation of Crimea, might have another daring trick up his sleeve one that will stabilize financial markets and revive the oil prices on which Russia s economy depends.

MADRID The ongoing crisis in Ukraine has been a hot topic of analysis for almost a year. But one question has largely escaped thorough examination what Russia s annexation of Crimea and invasion of eastern Ukraine indicates about the European Union s foreign policy.

The Kremlin is seeking more than the annexation of Crimea and control over the Donbas rust belt its aim is to prevent Ukraine from going West, force it to turn East, and quash any risk within Russia s wider orbit of further revolutions like the one that brought down Yanukovych.

Russia s economy has already been reeling under Western sanctions imposed in response to the Kremlin s annexation of Crimea and continued aggression in eastern Ukraine. Output is expected to shrink by almost 4 this year, and the country s credit ratings have been reduced to junk or near junk status.

Crimea itself represents a third potential flash point.

The Balkans, northern Turkey, Crimea, and the Caucasus.

There are 487 registered Muslim communities, 368 of them on Crimea.

On his way to the Crimea, however, Putin encountered a notorious Russian nationalist motorcycle gang, whose members demand that the Crimea be transferred to Russia.

These are some of the main attractions of Crimea as a tourist destination.

However, separatist pressures, while diminished, continue to exist in Crimea.

Advertisements for ride sharing to Crimea dominate local posting boards.

Separatist pressures emerged in Crimea immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

(Crimea was ceded to Ukraine by Nikita Khrushchev only in 1954).

Construction of the wall on Palestinian territory could only be regarded as de facto annexation, and the annexation of occupied territories was proscribed by the United Nations Charter and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

He multiplied French interventions abroad, especially in Crimea, in Mexico and Italy.

Here, Ukraine, with its eight million ethnic Russians many of them in Crimea is key.

As if by magic, Google Maps changed some town names in Crimea overnight.

The training was held in Simferopol, Autonomous Republic of Crimea, from 22 to 24 June 2004.

The annexation of the island is regulated by the Dependency Act of 24 March 1933.

Tourism The development of Crimea as a holiday destination began in the second half of the 19th century.

The Crimea was pronounced independent under Russia's protectorate and would become a part of Russia in 1783.

The annexation of Egypt, Sicily and Tunisia in North Africa provided a continuous supply of grains.

Plague was reportedly first introduced to Europe at the trading city of Caffa in the Crimea in 1347.

The wall was an unmistakeable act of territorial annexation in the guise of self defence and security.

A lot has happened since Russia launched an undeclared war, first occupying and then annexing Crimea.

The Southern Netherlands remained part of the Holy Roman Empire until its annexation to France in 1794.

It failed also in Crimea when Russia sought to deploy its old strategy of divide and rule there in 1991.

Crimea is the only region in Ukraine where ethnic Russians constitute an overwhelming majority of the population (58 per cent).

It empties into the Black Sea, just west of the Crimea and near the mouths of the Bug and the Dnister rivers.

It fears that Russia will encourage separatist tendencies in Crimea, where the ethnic Russian population forms a majority.

In 1917, Japan had made secret agreements with Britain, France and Italy that guaranteed their annexation of these territories.

Declaration by the organizations that participated the Third Forum of Cuban civil society against the embargo and the annexation

Morocco's policy of economic annexation of Western Sahara was a clear violation of the right of the Saharan people to self determination.

Steps made by the Russian Federation presently strengthens the separatist regimes and de facto annexation of a part of Georgia's territory.

Steps made by the Russian Federation presently strengthens the separatist regimes and de facto annexation of a part of Georgia's territory.

The international community should require Israel to explain how the annexation of territories and the establishment of settlements constituted self defence.

The wall is a visible and clear act of territorial annexation by Israel under the guise of self defence and security.