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Crimea to receive giant Russian flag, a present from Mexico

Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov is expected to attend the event

MOSCOW, August 22. /TASS/. A giant Russian flag made in Mexico will be handed over to Crimeans on Saturday on occasion of the National Flag Day in Russia.

The ceremony will be held in Crimea’s capital Simferopol as part of the Russia-Mexico international cultural project, the press service of Crimea’s council of ministers told TASS. The project is initiated by the Russian House in Mexico non-governmental organization.

Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov is expected to attend the event.

The colossal tricolor flag, with the size of some 450 square meters, will be given to Russia’s newest region as a present from Metropolitan Antonio (Chedraoui Tannous) of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean.

In his message to Crimeans, Metropolitan Antonio says the flag is a "symbol of success that Russia has reached on the path of its spiritual development and in the sphere of cultural cooperation with the friendly country of Mexico."

The National Flag Day has been celebrated in Russia since 1994. Various events marking the holiday will be held across the country on Saturday.

The Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, a city with a special status on the Crimean Peninsula, where most residents are Russians, refused to recognize the legitimacy of Kiev authorities brought to power amid riots during a coup in Ukraine in February 2014.

Crimea and Sevastopol adopted declarations of independence on March 11, 2014. They held a referendum on March 16, 2014, in which 96.77% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol voters chose to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the reunification deals March 18, 2014.

Terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall

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