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vehicle runs down the 19 km road-and-rail Crimean Bridge passing over the Kerch Strait
Image: Alexander Nemenov/AFPImage: Alexander Nemenov/AFP

Crimea

Crimea is a peninsula located on the northern coast of the Black Sea. Crimea became part of the newly independent Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but was illegally annexed by Russia in March 2014.

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All Content on this topic

A Russian flag is waved behind Ukrainian supporters during a visit by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Berlin

Ukraine-Russian diaspora in Berlin

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is also dividing Berlin’s Russian community.
January 7, 2016

Germany worried about Ukraine's fragile ceasefire

Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier has expressed concerns about ceasefire violations in eastern Ukraine.
December 29, 2015
Russland Jahrespressekonferenz Präsident Wladimir Putin

Putin's struggle

Russia's return to the world stage presents new opportunities, but also new dangers.
December 24, 2015
USA Sänger Fred Durst in New York

Limp Bizkit frontman banned from Ukraine

Ukrainian authorities have blacklisted Fred Durst 'in the interests of guaranteeing the security of our state.'
December 21, 2015
Symbolbild Beziehungen Russland EU

EU diplomats: six-month extension to Russia sanctions

EU diplomats agree to extend sanctions against Russia for another six months over the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
December 18, 2015
Shoppers in Kyiv

No Russia-Ukraine free trade

Russia has said it will suspend its free trade deal with Ukraine as of January next year.
December 16, 2015
Ukraine Blockade LKW-Lieferungen für die Krim

Crimean Tatars in the middle

The Crimean Tatars fear ending up the losers in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
PoliticsDecember 10, 201505:39 min
US Vice President Joe Biden at the Ukraine parliament in Kyiv

US warns Ukraine against lapsing on corruption

US Vice President Joe Biden has urged Ukraine to do more to fight corruption or risk losing international support.
December 8, 2015
Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine rattle sabers anew

Ukraine and Russia seem headed for confrontation, and the US and Europe fear for the future of the Minsk Protocol.
December 1, 2015
Symbolbild Gasstreit Russland Ukraine

Russia stops piping gas to Ukraine

Russia's Gazprom has said it is halting gas supplies to Ukraine until it makes another upfront payment.
November 25, 2015
Gas compressor valves

Russia to halt gas, coal supplies to Ukraine

Russia to halt Ukraine gas supplies
November 24, 2015
Russland Ukraine Krim - Stromauswall

State of emergency in Crimea amid blackout

Russian-annexed Crimea has been largely blacked out for a second night after pylons were damaged by explosions.
November 23, 2015
Karte der Krim Englisch (Stand: 2014-03-31)

Power lines to Crimea 'blown up'

Nearly 2 million people are without power as pylons carrying electricity from mainland Ukraine to Crimea were destroyed.
November 22, 2015
Ukraine Petro Poroschenko DW Interview bei der DW Conflict Zone

Poroshenko interview causes stir online

Statements by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in an interview have generated a fierce discussion on social media.
November 13, 2015
external

@dwnews - Poroshenko interview reactions

November 12, 201502:49 min
Ukraine Petro Poroschenko DW Interview bei der DW Conflict Zone

Poroshenko interview causes stir online

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's interview with DW has taken social media by storm.
November 12, 201502:44 min
Ukraine Petro Poroschenko DW Interview bei der DW Conflict Zone

Petro Poroshenko on Conflict Zone

This week's guest on Conflict Zone is Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
PoliticsNovember 11, 201526:04 min
Ukraine Kommunalwahl

Ukraine government faces test in local polls

Western-backed Ukrainian President Poroshenko's fragile ruling coalition faces a survival test today in local elections.
October 25, 2015
Jean Claude Juncker

Juncker says EU needs a better attitude towards Russia

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said that Europe's refugee crisis was expected to rumble on "for years."
October 9, 2015
external

Russia's role in Syria

Russia´s foreign ministry spokeswoman on reports about a Russian military buildup in Syria.
PoliticsSeptember 9, 201502:54 min
Russland TV Putin zur Situation in der Ukraine

Russian TV propaganda

Ukrainian fascists abound in Russian TV. A survey shows that propaganda is working.
September 2, 2015
Rescheto Juri Kommentarbild App

Sentsov is no loser

Juri Rescheto
The Russian court that sentenced Oleg Sentsov has missed the mark, says DW's Juri Rescheto.
August 25, 2015
Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov watches from a defendants' box as he attends a court hearing in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, July 21, 2015 (Photo: REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov)

Russian jailing of Ukrainian filmmaker denounced

Oleg Sentsov's 20 year sentence has been criticized by the EU as a "violation of international law."
August 25, 2015
Krim US-Boxer Roy Jones und Wladimir Putin in Sewastopol

Boxer Roy Jones seeks Russian citizenship

US star athlete Roy Jones Jr. requested a Russian passport a day after meeting President Vladimir Putin in Crimea.
August 20, 2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin

Putin confirmed for UN's 70th celebration

Along with fellow world leaders, Russia's president will attend events to mark the UN General Assembly's anniversary.
August 19, 2015
Russland Präsident Wladimir Putin

Putin's submarine seafaring in Crimea

Russia’s president visited an 11th century galleon in a submarine.
August 19, 20157 images
Russland Präsident Wladimir Putin aus Submarine

Crimea: Putin's nautical adventure

Russia’s Vladimir Putin has plunged to new depths – literally. He took an underwater tour of an ancient shipwreck.
August 19, 2015
Russland Panzer an der Grenze zur Ukraine

Ukraine reports heavy shelling

Ukraine has accused pro-Russian rebels of carrying out the heaviest attacks on government positions in six months.
August 10, 2015
Utoya Sommercamp 4 Jahre nach Breivik

WorldLink

On this week's show: Young Norwegians return to Utoya four years after a horrific massacre, and why a Crimean broadcaster has set up shop in Kyiv. We also hear from a survivor of the atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima, a victim of Stalin's mass deportations, and speak to a Serb and a Croat about growing up in the wake of conflict. Plus, a birthday nod to reggae legend Bob Marley.
August 7, 201554:59 min

ATR sets up shop in Kyiv

Facing increasing pressure from Russian authorities in Crimea, the local Tatar broadcaster, ATR, has relocated to Kyiv.
CultureAugust 7, 201507:00 min
Gerard Depardieu in Mordwinien

Ukraine bans Gerard Depardieu

Ukraine has blacklisted French film star Gerard Depardieu for his support of the 2013 Russian annexation of Crimea.
July 29, 2015
Russland, Oleg Sentsov

Ukraine film director on trial in Russia

'I don't consider this a court at all,' Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov says, as he pleads not guilty on terror charges.
July 21, 2015
Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama on the phone

Obama urges Putin hold rare phone call

In their first call since February, Russian President Vladimir Putin phones Barack Obama to discuss the Ukraine crisis.
June 26, 2015
NATO-Ukraine: Stoltenberg, Poltorak

NATO pledges help for Ukraine

NATO is providing Ukraine with additional support in detecting mines and overseeing its airspace.
June 25, 2015
A soldier of the Polish Army sits in a tank as a NATO flag flies behind during the NATO Noble Jump military exercises of the VJTF forces on June 18, 2015 in Zagan, Poland (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Stoltenberg: No arms race with Russia

NATO has approved a series of military upgrades but insists it will not be dragged into an arms race with Russia.
June 24, 2015
Fahnen von der EU und Russland

EU extends Russia sanctions

The European Union has formally agreed to extend sanctions against Russia for another six months.
June 22, 2015

A managerial makeover in Crimea

It's now over a year since Crimea was annexed by Russia after a referendum on the peninsula. Since then dozens of Ukrainian enterprises there have been expropriated, including a shipyard which belonged to Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. Crimea's biggest bakery, Krymkhleb, was nationalized at the beginning of the year. Mareike Aden was given a tour by its new owners.
June 5, 201504:50 min
Symbolbild Beziehung Deutschland Russland

Amid blacklist, calls for Putin to get G7 invite

German business interests are lamenting Vladimir Putin's exclusion from the G7 talks in Bavaria.
May 31, 2015
Visitors queue to enter the European Commission headquarters during the Open Doors Day of the European Institutions in Brussels, Belgium May 9, 2015 (Photo: REUTERS/Francois Lenoir)

EU politicians 'proud' of Russia blacklist

The EU has slammed Russia's decision to impose a travel ban on 89 European politicians as "arbitrary and unjustified."
May 30, 2015
Petro Poroshenko (L) hands over an identification card to former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili identifying him as a governor of Odessa region, during his introduction at the regional state administration in Odessa, Ukraine, May 29, 2015 (Photo: REUTERS/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Mykola Lazarenko/Handout via Reuters)

Ukraine appoints Saakashvili as governor of restive region

Ukraine's President Poroshenko has appointed former Georgian leader Saakashvili as governor of troubled Odessa region.
May 30, 2015
Oslo PK Stoltenberg Bericht Breivik-Kommission

Stoltenberg rebukes Russia, pledges NATO will protect Europe

NATO's secretary general has pledged that the Western alliance will uphold the "territorial integrity" of Europe.
May 28, 2015
EU Gipfel Riga zweiter Tag Gruppenbild

EU, eastern partners in delicate balancing act

The EU's fourth Eastern Partnership summit has ended with the bloc and its neighbors reaffirming vows of cooperation.
May 22, 2015
NATO Antalya Belek Türkei

EU and NATO to tighten cooperation

The European Union and NATO have agreed to work closer together to face "threats" from Russia and the refugee crisis.
May 14, 2015
John Kerry and Sergei Lawrow

'No breakthrough' in US-Russia talks

Despite "frank discussions" between the US and Russia, no "major breakthrough" has been made over the Ukraine conflict.
May 12, 2015
John Kerry and Vladimir Putin

Kerry meets Putin in 'critical moment'

US Secretary of State John Kerry has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin with hopes of fully implementing a truce.
May 12, 2015

Night wolves on the prowl

A Russian motorbike gang won't be allowed to ride through Poland to Berlin for the May 9 commemoration.
April 24, 2015
Mannteufel Ingo Kommentarbild App

Czar Putin

Ingo Mannteufel
Russian President Putin's TV address reaches ever higher levels of absurdity, says Ingo Mannteufel.
April 16, 2015
Bundeswehr Einsatz in Afghanistan Archiv 2010 bei Kundus

Germany pledges weapons to Lithuania

Lithuania is to purchase 12 howitzer from the Bundeswehr, according to German Defense Minsiter Ursula von der Leyen.
April 15, 2015
Russian Iskander missile

Poland to build watchtowers in Kaliningrad

Poland's border police have announced plans to build six watchtowers on its border with the Russian enclave Kaliningrad.
April 7, 2015
Constitutional commision in Kyiv

Poroshenko proposes decentralization referendum

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has suggested holding a referendum on the decentralization of the country's cities.
April 6, 2015