Vladimir Putin meets Russian & Crimean officials ahead of 8th anniversary of annexation

In a significant development, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday held a meeting with top officials of Russia and Crimea ahead of 8th anniversary of the annexation, according to local media reports. As reported by Sputnik, the meeting on March 17 was held to address the Crimean Republic's and Sevastopol's social and economic development. 

Sputnik reported, citing Putin as saying, "The new realities require the Russian economy to undergo structural changes and they will lead to an increase in unemployment and inflation. He further added that, "the goal of authorities is to minimise them."

Notably, tomorrow marks the eight-year anniversary of Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, the largest land grab in Europe since World War II. In 2014, after months of protests against Ukraine's pro-Russian president resulted in his ouster, Putin ordered the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. He then backed pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, who have been fighting Ukrainian soldiers in an eight-year war that has killed 14,000 lives.

Annexation of Crimea

Despite years of western sanctions, Russia retains control of Crimea, which it seized following a referendum that is widely regarded as illegitimate. Earlier on March 16, 2014, a contested and globally condemned referendum was held, wherein Moscow stated that 96.77% of Crimeans chose to join Russia. On March 18, 2014, Russia legally incorporated Crimea as two Russian federal subjects – the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol – despite international denunciation. Since then, Crimea and Sevastopol have been on Moscow Time.

President Vladimir Putin had demanded that Crimea be taken to defend ethnic Russians from "far-right fanatics" who, according to Russia, overthrew President Yanukovych. Following the annexation, the EU and the US slapped sanctions on Russia. Dmitry Medvedev, then Russian Prime Minister, declared Crimea completely integrated into Russia in July 2015. After that, Ukraine stated in 2016 that Russia had boosted its military posture along the Crimean border. Ukraine retaliated by deploying extra troops closer to the Crimean border.

Image: AP