Jubilant Putin Visits Crimea, Asserts Russia’s Right To Annex Region
MOSCOW — Putting his personal seal on the annexation of Crimea, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the naval port of Sevastopol on Friday and used the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany to assert that Moscow had the right to take over the Black Sea peninsula.
The visit to Sevastopol was Putin’s first to Crimea since Russia annexed the peninsula in March, setting off an international crisis that has threatened to throw Ukraine into civil war.
“The example of Sevastopol shows the world that in places where people are ready to fight for their freedom, the enemy will never conquer,” Putin said in a triumphant portside Victory Day address marking the anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.
“We are sure that 2014 will make it into the history of Sevastopol and the history of our country, because this is the year that the people of Crimea decided firmly to be with Russia, thus proving their loyalty to historical memory and the memory of our predecessors,” he said.
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