The decline of petroleum and natural gas in the world economy following the peak oil crisis resulted in a collapse of the Yuktobanian economy, which had shifted to exporting fossil fuels since opening trade with the West. With most other sectors of its economy neglected in the past four decades, its farmland rendered barren by the planned economy's overproduction in the last century, and still scorned by its neighbors for its Communist imperialism in the 20th Century, the nation was devastated by a famine that killed almost one out of every ten Yuktobanians. While the government allowed Neucom and General Resource to open up manufacturing facilities and construct industrial infrastructure, many of the survivors blamed the megacorps for peak oil rendering what remained of the onetime-superpower's fossil fuel resources worthless and sought revenge. The Patriotic Democratic Party that had ruled for the prior three decades was gradually voted out of power beginning in the 2031 election cycle, largely in favor of the Yuktobanian Communist Party, running on a platform advocating a return to a completely planned economy.
The Communists finally gained a majority in the legislature and control of the executive branch in 2034 and proceeded to nationalize all General Resource and Neucom assets in the country and to expel all foreign laborers and executives. Both companies filed complaints with the NUN and most Western governments regarded the action as illegal. The NUN voted to institute regime change in Yuktobania, despite its not being a member state, and requested that the GRDF and NEU assist. Although offered minimal recompensation - with the NUN only supplying free logistical aid and materiel as most resource would be directed to the main UPEO assault force - both accepted the offer to ensure their competitor did not take the opportunity to sabotage or seize their infrastructure.
GRDF, NEU, and UPEO forces landed on the Yuktobanian mainland on April 14, 2035; the GRDF assumed responsibility for landings near Sonza, intent on capturing Cinigrad first as a PR victory and recapturing its industrial facilities in Okchabursk and the capital. Neucom landed on the Bastok Peninsula; some of its forces split off to secure Neucom's energy infrastructure in the lightly-defended Jilachi Desert while the main force rendezvoused with the GRDF detachment in June. The UPEO and GRDF had been stalled by entrenched infantry at the ruins of Cruik Fortress for the past two weeks, and only Neucom's heavy armor managed to end the siege in a decisive victory. From this point the conflict continued for another three months, but the UPEO assumed direct control over both corporate units to ensure neither jeopardized the operation by rushing ahead. A joint force entered Cinigrad on July 7th, but became bogged down in urban guerrilla fighting for the next two months. The Kremlin finally fell on September 2nd, and the UPEO took over military and peacekeeping duties.
Since the end of the conflict, the new government has faced violent resistance from Communist and nationalist paramilitary groups and much resentment from the population. Terrorist attacks on Neucom and General Resource facilities have hampered their profitability in the short term, but analysts expect Yuktobania to become the cornerstone of the world's secondary-sector economy as its domestic political situation stabilizes.