Places in News

Context: The US President Donald Trump has claimed that Crimea (a part of Ukraine) would stay with Russia, a move which is seen as a new pressure tactic on Ukraine to make concessions to end the war.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Location of Crimea; Importance of Crimea for Russia. 

Location of Crimea

• Crimea is a strategically important peninsula located in Eastern Europe, bordered by the Black Sea to the west and south, and the smaller Sea of Azov to the northeast.
• Crimea lies to the south of Ukraine, and to the west of Russia's southern regions. It is connected to mainland Ukraine via the Isthmus of Perekop and to Russia via the Kerch Strait.
• Crimea was part of independent Ukraine since the country split from the Soviet Union in 1991. Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Significance of Crimea for Russia

• Quest for Warm Water: Russia’s coastline stretches more than 37,000 kms. However, much of it is to the north of the Arctic Circle, where sea ice makes many Russian ports unusable in the winter. Thus, control over Crimea and specifically its Black Sea ports gives Russia access to warm waters that stay navigable even during harsh winters.
• Gateway to the Mediterranean: 
  • Black Sea provides Russia with a direct maritime link to the Mediterranean Sea and from there, to southern Europe, Africa, and West Asia. 
  • To reach the Mediterranean, Russian ships must pass through two narrow, Turkish-controlled straits: the Bosphorus Strait and the Dardanelles Strait. These straits are vital chokepoints. If any hostile power controls them, it could block Russia’s ships from accessing the Mediterranean, affecting Russia’s economy and military operations. 
  • Crimea’s location on the Black Sea allows Russia to safeguard its crucial southern access to the Mediterranean and maintain its strategic and economic independence.
• Importance of Sevastopol: Sevastopol is a deep-water port in Crimea and the main base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Other nearby Russian ports are shallow and less useful for large naval ships. By controlling Sevastopol, Russia ensures strong naval presence in the Black Sea and avoids dependence on Ukraine.
• Geopolitical Buffer Zone: Russia fears that Ukraine could join NATO, like Romania and Bulgaria. Losing Ukraine would leave Russia exposed in the Black Sea. Securing Crimea strengthens Russia’s defenses and provides a strategic base.
• Securing water supply: Crimea depends on water from the Dnieper River through the North Crimean Canal. After 2014, Ukraine blocked the canal, causing a water crisis. Controlling Crimea and the canal is vital for providing water to Crimea’s people. 

Context: Armenia and Azerbaijan officials have agreed on the text of a peace agreement to end nearly four decades of conflict between the South Caucasus countries. Armenia has agreed to surrender its claim over the primarily Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Location of Nagorno-Karabakh region. 

About Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

• It is a long-standing territorial and ethnic dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a landlocked mountainous area in the South Caucasus.
• The region is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but has a majority ethnic Armenian population that has sought self-rule. The conflict has led to multiple wars, ceasefires, and international interventions. 

Historical Background: 

Soviet Era (1920s-1988)

• 1921: Soviet leader Joseph Stalin placed Nagorno-Karabakh under Azerbaijani control, despite its Armenian majority, as part of the divide-and-rule strategy.
• Soviet Rule: Ethnic tensions remained dormant under Soviet control, but grievances persisted.

First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994): 

• 1988: As the Soviet Union weakened, ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh demanded unification with Armenia.
• 1991: Following the collapse of the USSR, full-scale war erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
• 1994: The war ended with a ceasefire, brokered by Russia, known as the Bishkek Protocol.
• Outcome: Armenia took control of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani districts. Over 30,000 people died, and nearly 1 million people were displaced (mostly Azerbaijanis).

Period of Ceasefire (1994-2020)

• Despite the 1994 ceasefire, frequent border skirmishes occurred. Diplomatic efforts by the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, U.S., France) failed to achieve a permanent solution.

Second Nagorno-Karabakh War (2020)

• September 2020: Azerbaijan launched a major military offensive to reclaim lost territories. Turkey provided military support to Azerbaijan, supplying drones and military advisors.
• November 2020: After six weeks of fighting, Azerbaijan regained much of its lost territory, including the strategic city of Shusha. 
• Russia brokered a ceasefire, deploying 1,960 Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Outcome of the 2020 War: Azerbaijan reclaimed seven surrounding districts and parts of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia suffered a political crisis, with protests against the government’s handling of the war

2023 Azerbaijani Offensive & Armenian Withdrawal: 

• September 2023: Azerbaijan launched a final military operation, fully capturing Nagorno-Karabakh. 
• Over 100,000 Armenians fled, effectively ending Armenian claims over the region. The self-proclaimed Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenian administration) dissolved itself. 

Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Agreement (2025)

• March 2025: Both nations signed a peace treaty, recognising each other’s sovereignty.
• Armenia has accepted Azerbaijan’s control over Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Both nations agreed to establish diplomatic relations and restore trade routes. The border demarcation process has been initiated. 

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has shaped the geopolitics of the South Caucasus for decades. The 2025 peace agreement provides a framework for long-term stability in the region. India has always encouraged the parties to move forward on ensuring long-term peace and security through dialogue and diplomacy.

Context: Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi, who is facing charges of money laundering and tax evasion, has filed an application with the Indian High Commission in London to surrender his Indian passport. He is known to have acquired citizenship of Vanuatu. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Location of Vanuatu. 

About Vanuatu

• Vanuatu is an archipelagic nation made up of roughly 80 islands. 
• Location: Oceania, South Pacific Ocean.
• Capital: Port Vila 
• Located in the Pacific-Ring of Fire, making it prone to Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Vulcanic Eruptions. 
• Vanuatu is mountainous and covered with tropical rainforests.
• Most of the islands are inhabited; the population is roughly 3 lakhs. 
• Vanuatu was once an Anglo-French condominium. It became an independent country in 1980. 
• Political system: Parliamentary Democracy. 

Why is Vanuatu so lucrative?

• Golden passport program: 
  • Vanuatu has a golden passport program through which wealthy individuals can purchase its citizenship and obtain a passport by just paying USD 150,000 (Rs 1.3 crore). 
  • The process takes just one month and one can get a passport remotely. 

• Tax Haven: 
  • Vanuatu does not impose any personal tax on its citizens. Any income earned (stocks, real estate, other), locally or internationally, is entirely tax free. The country neither has inheritance tax nor corporate tax.
• Henley Passport Index ranks the Vanuatu passport as the 51st strongest in the world (out of 199 countries). 
• As per the 2024 Happy Planet Index, Vanuantu claimed the top spot as the happiest country out of 150 nations.