More than a thousand people participated in the rally on the central square of Arkhangelsk Wednesday marking the first anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian Black Sea Peninsula in March 2014.
In Russia, state-controlled media and officials, however, would never use the wording “annexation”, but instead name it “reunification.”
The rally in Arkhangelsk gathered students and others, but not as many people as expected.
In Moscow, Vladimir Putin praised the “amazing patriotism” the Russian people have shown when supporting the takeover.
“We understood and felt with our hearts and minds at that moment just how much the links between time and generations matter to us, and how much our heroic forebears have done for our country. We understood that Crimea was much more to us than just a piece of land, even a strategically important piece of land,” Putin told the audience.
He continued: “What was at stake here were the millions of Russian people, millions of compatriots who needed our help and support. We understood how important this is to us and that this was not simply about land, of which we have no shortage as it is.”
The Russian President said the issue at stake was the sources of Russian history, the spirituality and the statehood. ”…things that make us a single people and single united nation,” Putin said.
Tens of thousands of supporters listened to Putin in the Moscow rally by the walls of the Kremlin where a celebration concert was arranged.
“Friends, we in Russia always saw the Russians and Ukrainians as a single people,” Putin stated in the speech that also is posted in the portal of Kremlin.
In a TV interview on Sunday, Vladimir Putin admitted that Russia’s takeover of Crimea was a well-planned operation by Moscow.
Sources BarentsObserver has talked to in both Murmansk and Arkhangelsk more than hints that many of the participants in the support-demonstrations were ordered by their employers to come to the rallies. University students were also required to take part.
The blog FlashNord published a copy of a letter Wednesday signed by Murmansk regional Minister of Health. The letter required chief physicians to send at least 15 employees from each institution to the rally.
Murmansk Governor Marina Kovtun participated in the rally. While the organizer says 5.300 people participated, according to the online news-agency B-port. The reporter with FlashNord estimated the number to be between 500 and 700 people.
