In front of crowds gathered in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered an impassioned speech marking the anniversary of the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea to Russia. Amid cheers and musical tunes from a packed stadium in the capital, he praised the efforts of the Russian forces that "are writing heroics in the Russian military operation in Ukraine," as he expressed. He also emphasized that Crimea and the Donbas region have rejected those he called "new Nazis," reminding of the brave step and correct choice made by the residents of Crimea in 2014.
**Defense of Donbas**
In an attempt to quell any public discontent over the deaths of Russian soldiers in Ukraine, Putin said, "There is no greater love than to give one's life for friends or loved ones," indicating that Russian forces involved in the military operation on Ukrainian soil were acting in defense of Russian citizens and Russian speakers in the Donbas region "in eastern Ukraine." He also affirmed that all religions and denominations are represented in that Russian operation.
**Sudden Broadcast Cut**
However, Russian television abruptly cut away from the president's speech and began to air national songs performed during the event, raising a number of questions, according to Reuters. The Kremlin later announced that a technical malfunction caused the interruption of the presidential address, thus dispelling the specter of doubts surrounding the incident.
**Crimea and the Russian Embrace**
It is noteworthy that President Putin also praised the decision made by the residents of Crimea eight years ago to return to the Russian embrace. During a government meeting he chaired regarding development in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, he stated that the residents of the two regions faced new Nazis and radicals at that time and formed a wall against those who orchestrated a coup in Kyiv, as he described. Since launching the military operation in the neighboring western territory, the Kremlin has consistently referred to the "Ukrainian government and forces" as new Nazis, accusing them of including right-wing extremists among their ranks. He has frequently reaffirmed that the operation aimed to protect Russian citizens and Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine.
Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Russia expects Kyiv to officially recognize the annexation of the peninsula to Russia, which is among the demands or conditions being discussed and negotiated between the delegations of the two countries for several weeks in order to halt fighting and achieve a political solution. However, Kyiv has announced its rejection of this matter and maintains its commitment to Ukrainian territorial integrity and sovereignty.
