Today Russia celebrates the first anniversary of Crimea and Sevastopol joining the Russian Federation.
The head of the administration of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, said that "for Crimea it is a long anticipated holiday of homecoming. Russia has defended our legitimate right to self-determination, to unity with our historic Motherland. The Crimean Spring caused a powerful spiritual and patriotic fervor throughout our country, contributed to the consolidation of all healthy forces of Russian society," he said.
On March 18, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, notifying society about the proposals made by the parliaments of Crimea and Sevastopol to reunify Crimea with the Russian Federation. After that, the Russian president, the Speaker of the State Council of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov, the chairman of the government of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov and the Mayor of Sevastopol Alexey Chaly put their signatures under a treaty on Crimea's accession to the Russian Federation."
Two new members - the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which has a status of federal importance, were created within the Russian Federation. The Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean-Tatar languages were recognized state languages spoken in the Republic of Crimea. Crimea's land border, which adjoins the territory of Ukraine, became a state border of the Russian Federation.
March 18 is an official holiday of the Republic of Crimea - the Day of the reunification of Crimea and Russia. Simferopol, Yalta, Evpatoria, Feodosia and other cities will host a variety of events and flash mobs.
Today ceremonial events will take place in all regions of Russia - from Kamchatka to Smolensk.The deputy head of the Editorial Council of Vestnik Kavkaza, Sergey Mikheyev, said that a year ago "Russia has shown that it is ready to defend its national interests, whether anyone likes it or not." "I believe that this is a good strategic perspective, a large dividend. Let everyone else know it when they will plot the next revolution of dignity or any big reform that threatens the interests of Russia. I believe that it is useful for us and our potential competitors. Let them calculate their moves better next time," he said.A member of the Russian Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations, Maxim Shevchenko, told Vestnik Kavkaza that March 18 last year was the embodiment of the will of the people of Crimea to join the part of Russia as a constituent. "How has it changed the world? It destroyed the entire system of international agreements on the so-called borders, which were formally ineffective, because the West has been wiping its feet in Eastern Europe for a long time. So it created a precedent - the return of such a factor as the popular will expressed in a referendum, in international politics," he said.
Today ceremonial events will take place in all regions of Russia - from Kamchatka to Smolensk.
The deputy head of the Editorial Council of Vestnik Kavkaza, Sergey Mikheyev, said that a year ago "Russia has shown that it is ready to defend its national interests, whether anyone likes it or not." "I believe that this is a good strategic perspective, a large dividend. Let everyone else know it when they will plot the next revolution of dignity or any big reform that threatens the interests of Russia. I believe that it is useful for us and our potential competitors. Let them calculate their moves better next time," he said.
A member of the Russian Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations, Maxim Shevchenko, told Vestnik Kavkaza that March 18 last year was the embodiment of the will of the people of Crimea to join the part of Russia as a constituent. "How has it changed the world? It destroyed the entire system of international agreements on the so-called borders, which were formally ineffective, because the West has been wiping its feet in Eastern Europe for a long time. So it created a precedent - the return of such a factor as the popular will expressed in a referendum, in international politics," he said.
