article_snippet: Yanukovych was safely on Russian soil by late February, when Russia's military was establishing Russia presence in Crimea.
article_snippet: The virtually bloodless seizure of Crimea peninsula with an ethnic Russian majority and where Moscow has a naval base - was followed by a pro-Moscow insurgency in the east of Ukraine.
article_snippet: Ukrainian soldiers stand on top of an armoured personnel carrier in Berdianske. 
article_snippet: Russian soldiers who took part have been given state medals with the citation 'For returning Crimea', which give the starting date of the operation as February 20, before Yanukovich was ousted.