PART 1 THE OCCUPATION OF CRIMEA: CHRONICLE OF SEIZURE Pictured: Anti-war demonstration in Yalta, March 4, 2014 Crimea, and the Russian military presence, including troops and equipment, had been signiR cantly increased. The most active stage of the occupation, from February 23 to March 16, 2014, was marked by the non-violent protests of the civilian population of Crimea. Anti-war rallies and demonstrations in support of the integrity of Ukraine were conduct- ed in Simferopol, Sevastopol, Kerch, Bakhchisaray, Yalta, and other cities. During this period, several civiс ac- tivists who openly protest- ed against Russia’s actions in Crimea, including Reshat Ametov, Andrey Shchekun, Anatoly Kovalsky, Yuriy Gruzi- nov, Yaroslav Pilunskiy, Alexey Gritsenko, Sergey Suprun, Na- talia Luk’yanchenko and oth- ers, were kidnapped. Many of them were tortured whil- eReshat Ametov was brutally murdered. Pictured: Anti-war demonstration in Bakhchisaray, A so-called Crimean referen- March 5, 2014 dum was held under the con- 14