President Putin visits Crimea peninsula on the occasion of the 9th anniversary of its annexation into Russia
President Vladimir Putin visited Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the peninsula's annexation by Russia.
In Crimea, President Putin was welcomed by the Governor of Sevastopol and taken to visit a newly established children's center and an art school. This trip of Mr. Putin was considered a surprise and was not announced to the media in advance.
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President Putin visits Crimea. Photo: Kremlin |
According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, during this visit, President Putin attended the inauguration ceremony of an important cultural and historical site.
Putin last visited Crimea in July 2020. He visited the Zaliv shipyard in Kerch to attend the launching ceremony of several naval vessels.
In December 2022, Mr. Putin inspected the repair of the Crimea bridge after a terrorist attack.
Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 following a referendum. After annexing the peninsula, Russia invested in building infrastructure such as roads and bridges and electricity grids, and deployed many military equipment there, turning Crimea into a military logistics center for Russian forces.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly vowed to retake the strategic Black Sea region of Crimea. In a speech in late 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asserted that the conflict that began in Crimea will end in Crimea, implying that Kiev will do everything possible to regain control of the peninsula from Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on March 17 that security is currently the top priority for Crimea and Sevastopol. He also affirmed that the Russian government will make every effort to ensure security as well as economic and social development of the peninsula./.
