The events of recent days mean that Russia now holds all the cards over the secession of Crimea from Ukraine

On Saturday, Russia’s parliament approved the deployment of Russian troops to Ukraine, while a referendum has been called in Crimea to determine the territory’s future. Jim Hughes traces the history behind the current crisis, noting that the situation has its roots in the international management of secession during the 1990s. He argues that while much will depend on the wording of the referendum question, the developments over the past few days mean that Russia is very much in the driving seat in determining where Crimea’s future will lie.