Vladimir Putin in Sevastopol for the ninth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea to Russia – RT in French

The Russian Federation celebrated, on March 18, the ninth anniversary of the attachment to its territory of Crimea, disputed by kyiv and its allies. On this occasion, the Russian president made a surprise trip to the peninsula.

Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Crimea on March 18, for the ninth anniversary of Crimea’s annexation to the Russian Federation. In particular, the Head of State visited the historical and archaeological park of Chersonese of Tauride, in Sevastopol.

“Accompanied by the Governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvojayev, and Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) of Pskov and Porkhov, Chairman of the Patriarchal Council of Culture, the Russian President visited the “Korsoun” children’s center, a branch of the summer camp of ‘Artek, and the center of art and aesthetics for children,’ reports the Kremlin in particular in a press release. The creation of this historical and archaeological park, focusing on the theme of the unity of the nation and the Russian state, was carried out under a presidential order dated March 2019.

As a reminder, the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea joined the Russian Federation in 2014, after a referendum on self-determination – denounced as “illegal” by kyiv and the West. Ukraine still considers this region as its own and, like its Western allies, denounces an annexation.