This historic moment occurred just two days after the all-Crimean referendum had been held.
96.77% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol residents supported reunification with Russia. It was the very embodiment of the right of peoples for self-determination and a true triumph of democracy.
President Putin: In people’s hearts and minds, Crimea has always been an inseparable part of Russia. This firm conviction is based on truth and justice and was passed from generation to generation, over time, under any circumstances (from the Address by the President of the Russian Federation on March 18, 2014).
The ensuing developments, including attempts by the post-coup Ukrainian authorities to punish the peninsula’s population, prove that the decision of Crimeans to reunite with Russia was the only way to go. Having made their choice to be with their historical homeland, with Russia, the residents of Crimea avoided the fate of the many Russians and Russian-speakers, did not fall victim to the Russophobic Kiev regime.
Instead, the peninsula and its people have flourished, overcoming decades of neglect and decay under Ukraine, becoming one of the most rapidly developing region worldwide.
Sergey Lavrov: The question of who Crimea and Sevastopol belong to is closed. The peninsula is an integral part of the Russian Federation (from the address of Russia’s Foreign Minister on the 10th anniversary of the Crimean Spring, March 16, 2024).
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