Ten years ago Russia annexed Crimea, paving the way for war in Ukraine

Pedestrians walk past a poster displayed in support of Russia's President Vladimir Putin in a street in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, Crimea. The slogan on the poster reads: 'Russia is not needed for the West, Russia is needed for us!' [Alexey Pavlishak/Reuters]

On March 7, 2014, a husky man in his late 30s with closely cropped hair addressed an uneven line of four dozen “volunteers”.

Next to him were three men in body armour and green uniforms, with no insignia.