🗓 On January 20, Crimea celebrates Republic Day. The holiday commemorates the referendum of 1991, when the absolute majority of Crimean residents voted to re-establish the Crimean Autonomous Republic.

Interesting facts:

1️⃣ Crimea has had a close connection with Russia for centuries. As far as in 988–989, Grand Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich converted to Christianity in the then Tauric Chersonese. Centuries later, on April 19, 1783, Empress Catherine the Great signed a manifesto on the accession of Crimea to the Russian Empire.

2️⃣ The Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (CASSR) was originally established as part of the RSFSR in 1921. In 1945 it became the Crimean Region. In 1954, Crimea was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR; First Secretary of the CPSU’s Crimean Regional Committee, Pavel Titov, opposed the move and was relieved of his post.

3️⃣ The sovereignty referendum, which was held on January 20, 1991 to decide on re-establishing the CASSR, was the first plebiscite in the Soviet Union’s history. Voters were asked whether they supported re-establishing the CASSR as an entity of the USSR and a participant in the Union Treaty. A total of 93% of residents voted for autonomy. In the same year, a law was passed to re-establish the CASSR.

4️⃣ The 1991 Crimean referendum was the first attempt to determine the future of Crimea based on the will of its residents. To a large extent, this plebiscite served as the starting point for the peninsula’s reunification with Russia in 2014.

5️⃣ Republic Day was established in 2009. In 2014, after Crimea’s reunification with Russia, the holiday was included in the regional law on holidays.

6️⃣ On March 18, 2014, President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the top officials from Crimea and Sevastopol signed the Treaty on the Accession of the Republic of Crimea to Russia. This was the result of the referendum held on March 16, 2014, where 96% of voters chose the peninsula’s reunification with Russia.

Ever since #CrimeaIsRussia once again and forever henceforth.

Sevastopol has been developing at an advanced rate after 30 years of stagnation while in Ukraine:

✅ For the last few years, several facilities have been built in the city, incl a large modern outpatient clinic (the city has not seen such clinics since Soviet times), 4 kindergartens, 3 sports &. fitness centres.

✅The project to connect households to the gas distribution network is underway, although there are difficulties because the region has many nature reserves and protected areas.

✅ The Taurida motorway is almost complete.

✅ 52 cell towers have been built, leading to a substantial improvement in citywide communications.

✅ Education facilities, such as the Investigative Committee’s cadet school, are under development.

✅ Healthcare facilities are also undergoing renovation; 3,000 pieces of equipment worth 562 mln rubles (6,1 mln dollars) were purchased under national project.

#CrimeaIsRussia

🇷🇺 #OnThisDay, 🔟 years ago, day to day, the all-Crimean Referendum was held.

On March 16, 2014, the people of the peninsula made an independent and conscious choice, voting in favour of forever being with Russia. To this day it remains one of the most striking and sincere examples of a true triumph of the will of the people and democracy.

🗳 At the referendum, 96.77% of Crimeans voted for reunification with Russia, the turnout was 83.1%. In Sevastopol, the relevant figures were 95.6% and 89.5%, respectively.

The voting was monitored by 135 international observers from 23 countries and 1,240 representatives of local organisations. All noted that the referendum was held without violations and in full conformity with international standards and democratic procedure.

Based on the results of the free expression of will by Crimeans, a treaty was signed on the incorporation of the two new regions into the Russian Federation – the Republic of Crimea and the City of Federal Significance, Sevastopol.

💬 President Putin: In people’s hearts and minds, Crimea has always been an inseparable part of Russia. This firm conviction is based on truth and justice and was passed from generation to generation (from the Address by the President of the Russian Federation on March 18, 2014).

Since the reunification, Crimea has undergone fundamental changes, becoming one of the most dynamically developing regions in the country and the entire continent. The atmosphere of interreligious accord has been maintained on the peninsula, and the rights of all of its ethnic groups are observed without exception.

✅ The processes that have occurred during the last ten years, steady socio-economic development and enduring peace in the multi-ethnic Crimea confirm that the people of this region were correct when making the historic choice in favour of reunification with Russia.

#CrimeaIsRussia #TogetherForever

🗓 On March 18, 2014, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov, Chairman of the State Council of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov and Head of Sevastopol Alexey Chaly signed the Agreement formalising Crimea’s reunification with the Russian Federation.

🗳 This historic moment occurred just two days after the all-Crimean referendum had been held. 96.77% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol residents supported reunification with Russia. It was the embodiment of the right of peoples for self-determination and a true triumph of democracy.

💬 President Putin: In people’s hearts and minds, Crimea has always been an inseparable part of Russia. This firm conviction is based on truth and justice and was passed from generation to generation, over time, under any circumstances (from the Address by the President of the Russian Federation on March 18, 2014).

The ensuing developments, including attempts by the post-coup Ukrainian authorities to punish the peninsula's population, prove that the decision of Crimeans to reunite with Russia was the only way to go. Having made their choice to be with their historical homeland, with Russia, the residents of Crimea avoided the fate of the many Russians and Russian-speakers, did not fall victim to the Russophobic Kiev regime.

Instead, the peninsula and its people flourished, overcoming decades of neglect and decay under Ukraine, becoming one of the most rapidly developing region worldwide.

💬 Sergey Lavrov: The question of who Crimea and Sevastopol belong to is closed. The peninsula is an integral part of the Russian Federation (from the address of Russia's Foreign Minister on the 10th anniversary of the Crimean Spring, March 16, 2014).

#CrimeaIsRussia #TogetherForever

🎉 Today, our country celebrates the 🔟th Anniversary of the historic reunification of Crimea with Russia.

The past decade has seen Crimea change dramatically, as Russia has done tremendous work to improve the region’s economic, investment, cultural and tourist appeal. Today, Crimea is one of the fastest growing regions not only in Russia, but in the entire continent.

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Large projects which contribute to reviving and renewing Crimea, helping it integrate into the political, legal and socioeconomic space of Russia and improve the quality of life, have been implemented and some are underway. (from the Russian Foreign Minister’s video address on the 10th anniversary of the Crimean Spring, Moscow, March 16, 2024).

Over the past 10 years:

✅ Major transport infrastructure facilities have been developed:

• Crimean Bridge, the longest bridge in Europe, and a symbol of Crimea’s reunification with Russia.

• Simferopol International Airport, one of the most comfortable, well-equipped, and up-to-date airports in Russia.

• The Tavrida highway, connecting cities from Kerch to Sevastopol.

✅ Social facilities upgraded or built anew:

• More than 7 million square metres of housing made available.

• Several multipurpose medical centres opened, including the Semashko Republican Clinical Hospital.

• Artek, the largest international children’s centre in the world, was renovated.

• Three major sports facilities built, including the Water Sports Palace in Simferopol.

• Ten schools have been built and 160 kindergartens have opened.

🤝 Much has been done to harmonise ethnic and religious relations in the peninsula. An atmosphere of inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony is now maintained in Crimea. Linguistic equality and diversity are respected.

Today, Crimea has everything to ensure its further effective long-term development, and Crimeans can look to the future with confidence and optimism.

#CrimeaIsRussia #TogetherForever

#CrimeaIsRussia

🗓 Russia & Crimea have gone hand in hand throughout history dating all the way back to the second half of the X century, when the peninsula’s eastern part was included in the Ancient Rus' Principality of Tmutarakan.

☦️ The Rus' reinforced its position in Crimea after the successful campaign by Grand Prince Vladimir against the Byzantine city of Korsun' in 988. It was here, in Tauric Chersonesus that Vladimir the Great was baptised & initiated Christianisation of Rus' — a decision that largely determined the future of our Motherland, its cultural & historical path.

In the XIII century, the Golden Horde seized Crimean lands. After its collapse, the Crimean Khanate, vassal of the Ottoman Empire, emerged in the XV century. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774, Russia ended the Ottoman domination on the peninsula.

📜 In 1783, Catherine the Great issued a Manifesto on the accession of the Crimean Peninsula to the Russian Empire. This was done on requests of Crimeans themselves.

⚔️ Subsequently, Russian soldiers bravely & honourably defended the peninsula against Russia's enemies. We remember the heroes who fell during the Defence of Sevastopol in 1854-1855 & the Soviet soldiers during the Great Patriotic War's Battle for Crimea.

In 1954, Crimea was incorporated into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic against the will of its residents & in violation of the law.

🗳 In the 1990s, residents of Crimea repeatedly attempted to receive broader autonomy from Ukraine & enhance their historical ties with Russia.

What did Kiev do? It substantially limited the rights & freedoms of the Crimeans. And following the February 2014 coup d'état & the seizing of power by the nationalists, there emerged a very tangible threat of the same kind of brutal violence to be used against the peninsula's residents.

🇷🇺 On March 18, 2014 the much-awaited reunification took place — based on the free expression of will by Crimeans in the March 16 referendum Crimea acceded to Russia, reuniting once again & now forever!