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President's bad decision
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's government announces it is abandoning an agreement that would strengthen ties with the European Union. It seeks closer cooperation with Moscow. Protesters take to the streets. -
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Crisis in Ukraine
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Protests in Kyiv
A protest attracts about 300,000 people at Kiev's Independence Square; activists seize Kiev City Hall. -
First deaths
The first protest deaths. Two die after being hit with live ammunition and the third after a fall during a confrontation between police and demonstrators manning barricades.The prime minister resigns and the parliament repeals harsh anti-protest laws. -
President flees the country
Yanukovych flees the country after a political coup. Ukraine's interim government and president, Oleksandr Turchinov, issues a warrant for the arrest of Yanukovych. -
Protests in Crimea
Pro-Russian protesters take a stand in Crimea. Amid clashing protesters in Crimea, Putin orders military exercises in western Russia. Secretary of State John Kerry vows $1 billion in loan aid to Ukraine. -
John Kerry visits Ukraine
John Kerry visits Ukraine, he offers the $1 billion loan guarantee and technical experts to help recover assets, referring to the billions reported to have been funneled out of the country by Yanukovych. Putin says he has no intention to "fight the Ukrainian people." -
Referendum in Crimea
Residents of Crimea, up to 60% percent of whom are Russian, were given a choice of either joining Russia or opting for more autonomy from Ukraine under the 1992 constitution. The status quo, in which Crimea is a semi-autonomous region of Ukraine, was not an option. They voted overwhelmingly to join Russia. -
Occupation of Eastern cities
Pro-Russian activists seize control of government buildings in the eastern cities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv, calling for a referendum on independence. Ukraine authorities regain control of Kharkiv buildings two days later after launching an "anti-terror operation". -
Referendum in Eastern part of Ukraine
Pro-Russia activists declare resounding victory in a twin referendum on sovereignty for eastern Ukraine. The provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk voted on Sunday to secede from Ukraine. Russian gas giant Gazprom gives Ukraine until June 3 to pay $1.6bn for natural gas. The EU ramps up sanctions on Moscow. -
Presidential elections
Petro Poroshenko wins the Ukrainian presidential runoff, but reports indicate that access to voting was blocked or heavily impeded in many rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine. -
Attack on Luhansk
About 500 pro-Russia separatists attack a Ukrainian border guard HQ in Luhansk. Five of the rebels were killed, while at least seven border guards were injured.
In a joint press conference, Obama and Cameron threaten to impose further sanctions if Putin does not stop Russia's actions in Ukraine. -
Shot down of Ukrainian plane
Russian separatists shoot down a Ukrainian military transport plane over Lugansk. All 49 people on board were killed, including 40 paratroopers. This sparked violent protests outside Russia's embassy in Kiev. -
Airstrike in Snizhne
An airstrike in the Ukrainian town of Snizhne kills 11 people. Ukraine says the strike was carried out by "unknown aircraft." Security council spokesman Andrei Lysenko calls the attack "a cynical and bloody provocation in order to discredit the Ukrainian military."
Obama announces a new set of unilateral sanctions targeting at least eight state-owned defence firms. -
Shot down of Malaysian Airlines MH17
Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 is shot down of eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. An adviser to Ukraine's interior ministry states the plane was hot by a missile from a Buk surface-to-air launcher.
Obama confirms that initial assessments suggest MH17 was shot down by a BUK-M1 surface-to-air missile shot from territory controlled by pro-Russia rebels. -
Russian forces on Ukrainian border
Russia begins a build up of forces on the Ukrainian border, and continues a series of training exercises that have been held on and off since the start of the conflict. -
Petro Poroshenko's visit to USA
Poroshenko's visit to USA</a>Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has urged the US to provide military assistance to his country to counter pro-Russian eastern separatists. He addresses crisis in Ukraine to a joint session of Congress.
