Representatives of the Crimean “authorities” assure that they were not warned about the visit of the President of the Russian Federation. Allegedly, Putin simply “picked up and came.”
On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Crimea on the anniversary of the occupation of the peninsula. The Russian media announced this, referring to footage published by a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, Ivan Esin, later the information was confirmed by the “governor” of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhaev and the RIA Novosti agency.
Putin allegedly visited the opening of a children’s art school, the Tauric Chersonese historical and archaeological park, and the Korsun center in Sevastopol. In one of the videos, he, along with his retinue, walks next to the so-called “governor” of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev.
“Governor” Razvozhaev said that Putin arrived without warning
Mikhail Razvozhaev himself on Telegram confirmed Vladimir Putin’s visit to Crimea. According to him, the president arrived unexpectedly, while the occupying authorities were preparing to report to him remotely via videoconference.
“But Vladimir Vladimirovich took it and came. Himself. Driving,” the official wrote.
It is worth noting that on March 12, the Russian agency RIA Novosti, citing the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin program, reported that the Russian president had planned a trip to one of the regions of Russia. The authors of the program suggested that the head of state decided to take part in the events on the occasion of the ninth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. However, the Kremlin has not officially announced Putin’s trip to the peninsula.
In a comment to Radio NV, Denis Chistikov, Deputy Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea, noted that the Russians consider March 18 a sacred date, so Vladimir Putin can go to the peninsula to strengthen the authority of the Russian government, which has been falling more and more lately.
Earlier they wrote that on March 18, a concert at the Luzhniki stadium, where Vladimir Putin traditionally performs on the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea, was canceled in Moscow. Volunteers were preparing for the Crimean Spring event and even gathered extras, and then reported that the city authorities had changed the format of the celebration.
On March 17, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin because of the events in Ukraine. Law enforcement officers should detain him if they find him abroad.
