Putin celebrates The 5th Anniversary of Crimean annexation
President Vladimir Putin led thousands to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea, a peninsula on the northern coast of the Black Sea in Eastern Europe which was annexed from Ukraine by the Russian Federation in 2014 following military intervention by Russia in Crimea in the aftermath of Ukraine Revolution. Ukraine and many other leaders around the world had condemned the annexation to be a violation in the international laws and also Russian signed agreements safeguarding the territory of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the Helsinki Accords in 1991, the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances of 1994 and the Treaty on friendship, cooperation and partnership between Russian Federation and Ukraine.
Putin said that Russia has taken Ukraine into its fold with delight and joy and assured that Russia will fulfil its goal as they all are united now. He began his trip by attending the launch of new power plants in Crimea. Ukraine has further cut off its power supply to the peninsula and blocked shipments of Crimea-bound cargo.
There have been many modernizations stuff after the annexation of its territory by the Russian Federation. The modernization includes 19 km bridge opening up last year across the Kerch Strait linking the Black Street and the Street of Azov.
Moscow’s annexation of Crimea had greatly upset both the USA and also the EU as it had hurt their economy. But this really boosted up Putin’s popularity. NATO heavily disliked this act and said that they seriously condemn this act and accused Russia of torturing the Crimean Tartar community and highly censured the military build-up of Russia in Crimea, which has built up navy ships, missiles and war-planes. There has been much new warfare equipment which includes Iskander-M missiles and tu-22M3 long-range bombers. However, in the EU itself, the foreign policy chief said that they stand in unity for Ukraine supporting its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Protests have also begun against Putin’s visit to Crimea as a violation of the territorial integrity of the country. But Putin, to all these allegations said, that Russia has actually fixed up Crimea from Ukraine’s former President in 2014 to protect ethnic Russian citizens and that Crimea actually belongs to Russia as it was captured by Russia in the 18th century under Catherine the Great.
Russian troops entered Crimea blocking Ukrainian soldiers at their garrisons. Putin has always been saying that the annexation of 2014 was actually necessary for the people of Crimea saying that the refusal of the West to this is actually a disrespect of democratic principles.
