Second Cold War (AdizzPro Scenario)

WIP
The Second Cold War, or the New Cold War, was a cold conflict between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its allies, and Russia and its allies. It was deemed the successor of the Cold War and the main prelude to the Third World War. It stretched across the planet (most notably in Asia, Europe and Eurasia) , developing many proxy wars in its wake as it slowly built up into a fully blown conflict, including the Russo-Ukraine War, the Invasion of Moldova, the Russo-Georgian War and the U.S War on Cuba.
== Tensions & Proxy Wars ==
=== Beginning ===
The Second Cold War traces its origins back to the original Cold War - between the superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States of America and their respective allies. NATO and the US went on to win the 50-year static war, marking a new era heralded by the rise of global capitalism and consumerism and the fall of their polar opposites, communism and socialism. The Soviet Union was dissolved into multiple new nations, including Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. 
Despite the United States' promises for stability and liberty for the world, the state of the planet was far from it - Russia, a fledgling democracy, immediately showed signs of discontent with the new order of things, while China became a rising global economic and military superpower, along with other communist and authoritarian strongholds like North Korea surprisingly holding out, though they devolved into suspicion and paranoia. Places like Afghanistan were embroiled in conflicts of terrorists.
There is some debate on when the Second Cold War truly began. Some argue it began roughly in 2008, with already rising global tensions, while others believe it started in 2010-2013. Many believe it began as late as the first presidency of Donald Trump or at the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and others think we are still living in the First Cold War. The number remains disputed, though it's generally agreed to have begun from 2008-2013. 
===== Ukraine =====
Ukraine has been a significant part of the Second Cold War. In February of 2014, their "Revolution of Dignity" that ultimately ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, a politician who believed closer ties with Russia were more beneficial than ties to the West, began to ignite the spark of political crises in the Crimean Peninsula - indeed, the City Council of Sevastopol called for a Crimean Self-Defence Brigade to restore Crimean stability before the Revolution even began.
On the 20th of February, 2014, an anti-Yanukovych/pro-independence checkpoint stopped several Crimean buses in the Cherkasy Oblast. The passengers faced unnecessary intimidation, along with several of their buses being burned. Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, created many propaganda narratives that incorrectly showed the passengers being killed in horrible ways.
Upon seeing a growing Russian separatist sentiment, the Security Service of Ukraine announced that it would "use severe measures to prevent any action taken against diminishing the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine". Pro-Russian protests in Sevastopol began to gain momentum. After having a long meeting that lasted the entirety of a night, Vladimir Putin said privately that it was "nearly time for Crimea to come back to Russia", which resulted in multiple Russian agencies ensuring coordinated with sympathetic locals and ensuring that locals militias were to be formed.
After Yanukovych was deposed, the Crimean Prime Minister recognised the Provisional Government in Kyiv and proclaimed that the Crimean government would follow, implement and enforce all laws made by the parliament. However, pro-independence Ukrainians and Crimeans from the Euromaidan movement demanded the dissolution of the Crimean parliament, calling for Ukraine to join/partner with the European Union (EU), supporting the new provisional government.
In response, pro-Russian protesters protested in Sevastopol, chanting "Putin is our President!", saying they would refuse to pay taxes to Ukraine anymore and would only settle with a Russian Crimea. Many more protests sprouted up, each more volatile than the next, and recruitment leaflets for a "Self-Defence Organization" were passed, people warning of the "Europlague" infecting Ukraine and Crimea.
On the 24th of February, the Crimean Parliament was blocked by pro-Russians, demanding a referendum on Crimea's status and a stop to Kyiv's orders being followed. They also demanded that a new mayor of Sevastopol be elected; one that was a Russian citizen. Their chant this time was "A Russian Mayor for a Russian City".
Consequently, under immense pressure, the Sevastopol City Council elected Alexei Chaly as mayor of the city. He was a Russian citizen. However, this is both illegal and impossible in bureaucratic law - there is no mayor of Sevastopol as the Chairman of the Sevastopol State Administration, who is appointed by the President in Kyiv, acts as its mayor.
On the next day, they gathered outside of town hall amidst rumours that Chaly would be arrested by law enforcement. However, the police chief announced that Crimean law enforcement would not follow "criminal orders" from Kyiv. An advisor to the Internal Affairs Minister of Crimea named Viktor Neganov condemned the recent events as a coup; stating that Chaly represented what the Kremlin wanted Crimea; Russian.
Chairman of Sevastopol City State Administration Vladimir Yatsuba was both booed and heckled as he spoke to a pro-Russian rally saying that Crimea was a part of Ukraine, not Russia. On the 24th of February, a day later, he resigned. Pro-Ukrainian protesters took to the streets two days later, claiming that the Crimean Parliament was attempting to aid the pro-Russians and pass Crimea over to Russia. The Parliament denied this, stating that Crimea was firmly a part of Ukraine and that Parliament would not be debating the matter.
The Pro-Ukrainians (known as "Tatars") would soon form their own self-defence groups, openly encouraging collaboration of Russians, Crimeans, and Ukrainians. The Tatars also called for the protection of buildings of prayer from every religion. Pro-Russians also rallied. Arsen Avakov of the new Ukrainian government told the Crimean administration to not encourage or cause any clashes with pro-Russians but to do whatever necessary to keep order. A peaceful solution through words was also suggested.
The reorganized Security Service of Ukraine requested that the United Nations keep a close eye on the situation and to provide security guarantees. On the orders of Vladimir Putin, all routes from Russia to Crimea were to have a military checkpoint with military personnel and vehicles.
On the 27th of February, 2014, unmarked Russian troops seized Crimea and Sevastopol, raising Russian flags over the Supreme Council of Crimea building and the building of the Council of Ministers in Simferopol. Whilst unmarked Russian soldiers occupied the Parliament building, Parliament held an emergency session. They voted to terminate the current Crimean government and force the Prime Minister to resign, replacing him with the leader of the Russian Unity Party.
Legally, only the Supreme Council of Crimea can appoint a Prime Minister with the consultation of the Ukrainian President, but in the eyes of the Russian Unity Party and Speaker of Parliament, the disgraced former President Viktor Yanukovych was the rightful President of Ukraine, who recognised this decision immediately. Parliament also agreed to another referendum in May on whether they'd receive greater autonomy as part of Russia. Some Members of Parliament later said that some votes were cast for them and that they were threatened to vote in favour of terminating the government.
More unmarked Russian troops arrived in Crimea from the 31st Separate Airborne Assault Brigade, and soon Ukraine became completely cut off from Crimea; Ukrainian news channels replaced within hours by their Russian versions. The Russian Unity declared that it would promptly take control of all Ukrainian military installations on the peninsula, and asked Putin for "assistance in ensuring peace and tranquility" in Crimea. The Russian President accepted, and an official Russian military intervention began.
Russian intervention caused some minor protests in Moscow. Putin's soldiers swiftly occupied the entirety of the peninsula with little to no trouble, and the new administration began to settle in. Russia initially denied internationally that there were Russian troops in Crimea at all, stating that this all happened on the protesters own accord. They eventually admitted they had seized Crimea, causing them to face international condemnation.
Following a referendum on the status of Crimea, which resulted in a massive majority declaring deciding they wanted to move away from Ukraine and closer to Russia, the Supreme Council of Crimea declared the Republic of Crimea, a federal subject of the Russian Federation. However, it was very short-lived. Not too long after, a treaty was signed incorporating Crimea in Russia, though officially the Republic of Crimea still exists.
Following the example of Crimea, many Russian-sympathizing areas of Ukraine erupted in protests of wishing to join Russia. In Donetsk, protesters invaded and occupied the Donetsk Regional State Administration building, however the Security Service of Ukraine stepped in and promptly removed them.
Soon after, hundreds of masked men stormed the Security Service of Ukraine building, stealing weapons. A large crowd then similarly stormed and occupied the Donetsk RSA building, raising the Russian flag and delivering an ultimatum: The regional council must convene by noon of the next day and call for a referendum of joining Russia. Otherwise, the people would forcefully dismiss all elected representatives and would form a "people's mandate".
Not one of these demands were met and as a result, the next day these protesters held a meeting in the same building and formed and proclaimed the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) as a sovereign nation closer to Russia. On the 6th of April, similar protesters also stormed the Security Service of Ukraine building of Luhansk, freeing anti-government militia members after mass protests.
In retaliation, the new Ukrainian government declared that in response it would engage in "anti-terrorist operations" and put the state buildings occupied by protesters under "state protection".
President Turchynov of Ukraine offered the protesters amnesty and referendums on autonomy.
However, Russia saw an opportunity in this and launched several disinformation and propaganda campaigns in the region. 2 days later on the 12th of April, 2014, paramilitary groups funded and supported by Russia seized several government and administrative buildings in the Donbas region, the local police standing little chance against the heavily armed militants. The towns included, but were not limited to, Mariupol, Sloviansk, Horlivka, Kramatorsk, Yenakiieve, Makiivka, Druhzkivka, and Zhdanivka.
On the 13th of April, the Ukrainian Army, acting on orders of the Executive Office, deployed to the regions for anti-terrorist operations. The first course of action was to recapture a separatist airfield, and, after brief contact and fighting with troops from the Donbas People's Militia, it was successfully retaken.
However, angry locals drove the squadron that did so back to a base and vowed that they would not allow them to leave. On numerous occasions, locals surrounded Ukrainian convoys and did not let them pass, soon overthrowing them and giving the vehicles to the Donbas People's Militia.
In Mariupol, many were arrested and wounded along with 3 killed when the Donbas People's Militia failed to capture and storm a National Guard of Ukraine base.