Many residents are retired Russian navy officers who settled and stayed even when it became part of Ukraine. Many never learned to speak Ukrainian, and Crimeans voted to become part of Russia in 2014. The European Union imposed sanctions on many of the same Crimean officials this week as punishment for their involvement in local Russian local elections held in Crimea in September. Pompeo is expected to be in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Friday for meetings with President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials. The State Department has since barred another NPR reporter from traveling with Pompeo this week.

Source: Washington Post January 29, 2020 20:37 UTC