Why is Crimea geographically important to Russia?

- Sevastopol, Crimea: the only warm-water port available 365 days a year, where Russia keeps its Black Sea fleet. 

- Access to Black Sea and the Mediterranean: strategic access for projection of naval power, trade routes from Russia.

- Proximity to NATO countries, NATO military exercises in the Black Sea.

Water supplies from Dnieper River:

- Canal diverted water from Ukraine's Dnieper to Crimea  - important sources of drinking water for Crimea (more than 85%).

Energy security and oil/gas from Siberia/ Caspian. Oil & gas pipelines:

- Oil export routes through Black Sea.

- The planned South Stream, Blue Stream: natural gas pipelines that cross Black Sea directly to Bulgaria; bypass Ukraine as a gas transit state and reduce dependency on gas supplies to EU