Many thought President Viktor Yanukovych's toppling meant a hiatus in Ukraine's unrest.
Protests in Ukraine's autonomous republic of Crimea, however, show this conflict is not so close to resolution.
Though described as predominantly "pro-Russian," the republic's makeup is diverse and its state is weak. The recent dissent between Crimea's pro and anti-Russian populace is compounded by Russia's refusal to respect its border laws. Together, these and other factors heighten the potential for a Crimean conflict - a scenario one writer believes could be "the gravest crisis in Europe since the end of the Cold War."
This situation in Crimea is also garnering attention internationally, as European and American officials work together to decide what to make of Russian actions.
Read more on the interesting history of these relationships and intricacies of this problem in Charles King's piece in the New York Times's "Opinion Pages." with his piece entitled "Crimea, the Tinderbox."
