10th anniversary of the Russian annexation of Crimea in St. Petersburg, San Petersburgo, RU - 18 Mar 2024
Celebration in Saint Petersburg of the tenth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea by Russia. In February 2014, Russian forces invaded and took control of the Crimean Peninsula and on March 16, Crimeans received a ballot with two options: reunification with Russia or maintain Crimea's status as part of Ukraine. The result was unappealable, 96.5% of Crimeans - more than 80% of whom were ethnic Russians - supported being part of the Russian Federation. Crimea returned to the Russian fold two days later when Putin signed a bilateral treaty in the Kremlin by which the peninsula and the port of Sevastopol were integrated into the Russian Federation. Since then the "Day of Reunification of Crimea with Russia" is celebrated annually on March 18. FOOTAGE OF THE CELEBRATION IN SAINT PETERSBURG OF THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ANNEXATION OF CRIMEA BY RUSSIA. Camera: Anatoli Maltsev.