NOVO-OGAREVO, March 17. /TASS/. The past eight years have demonstrated how right the free and conscious choice of the Crimean people to reunite with Russia was, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
The head of state stressed that "during the difficult weeks of February-March 2014, the residents of Crimea and Sevastopol demonstrated courage, patriotism and stood in the way of the neo-Nazis and radicals, those who orchestrated and carried out a coup in Kiev." "The people of Crimea and Sevastopol stood their ground, banded together and won, making their free conscious choice to be together with Russia," Putin emphasized.
"The past years have convincingly proven how correct and timely this choice was," the Russian president noted.
Eight years ago, against the backdrop of a coup in Ukraine the authorities of Crimea and Sevastopol held a referendum on reunification with Russia on March 16, 2014. Over 80% of those eligible to vote took part in it, 96.7% and 95.6% of the respective residents voted for reunification with Russia. On March 18, 2014, the Russian President signed an agreement on the admission of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation, and on March 21, the document was ratified by the Federal Assembly.