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Crimea and Sevastopol

Security measures on the Russian-Ukrainian border strengthened in Crimea

On March 15, festivities began in Crimea on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the reunification of the peninsula with Russia

© Press Service of the Border Department of the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Republic of Crimea/TASS

SIMFEROPOL, March 16. /TASS/. Security measures on the Russian-Ukrainian border have been strengthened in Crimea on the eve of the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the reunification of the republic with Russia, a source in the peninsula’s security forces told TASS on Friday.

"The security measures at the checkpoints on the eve of the anniversary of the reunification have been strengthened," the source said.

On March 15, festivities began in Crimea on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the reunification of the peninsula with Russia. A delegation of the State Duma (lower house of the Russian parliament) headed by Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, arrived in Simferopol.

Also a French delegation consisting of 11 people came to Crimea to participate in the celebrations. The president of the association Franco-Russian Dialogue Thierry Mariani heads the delegation.

About the referendum in Crimea

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

Crimea and Sevastopol adopted the 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 treaty on March 18, 2014.

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Crimea and Sevastopol Vyacheslav Volodin

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