evidence: Crimea, formerly known as the Tauric Peninsula, is a peninsula in Eastern Europe surrounded by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connect the peninsula to Kherson on mainland Ukraine, with the Strait of Kerch separating it from Kuban, Russia. However, it is linked to the Russian region by the Crimea Bridge. Crimea covers an area of approximately 27,000 square kilometers, roughly the size of the US state of Massachusetts. The peninsula has been a subject of dispute between Ukraine and Russia, with the dispute popularly referred to as the Crimean Question or the Crimean Problem. Although Russia administers Crimea, most international governments consider the peninsula a Ukrainian territory. [...] Currently, Crimea is a disputed territory between Ukraine and Russia, with both countries considering the peninsula as their respective republics. Ukraine claims the region as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, while Russia claims it as the Republic of Crimea. When Ukraine reestablished itself as an independent state, Crimea renamed itself to the Republic of Crimea. Although Ukraine did not initially oppose the name, it did not accept the peninsula’s claim of being a state. In 1992, Russia declared the 1954 Crimea transfer illegal, a move that Ukraine condemned.