14 Mar 2018 20:46

Crimean residents make historic decision, regain justice 4 years ago - Putin

SEVASTOPOL. March 14 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked Crimean residents that they by their decision to join Russia four years ago have restored historical justice broken in the Soviet times.

"You have made a historic decision four years ago. Thanks to your decision Sevastopol and Crimea returned to their native home of our common motherland, a home of our motherland Russia," Putin said at a concert and a rally in Sevastopol marking the fourth anniversary of Crimea's joining Russia on Wednesday.

By making this decision, Crimean residents "regained historical justice, which has been disrupted back in the Soviet times, when Crimea and Sevastopol illegally, even according to Soviet laws, were disintegrated from the Russian Federation, from the RSFSR," the head of state said.

Putin arrived by motorboat to attend the action in Sevastopol.

The president's motorboat departed from the Konstantinovskaya Battery pier and moored at the Grafskaya Quay on Nakhimov Square, the central city square, where a rally under the slogan "Russia. Sevastopol. Crimea" is underway.

The performance of Putin's favorite music band "Lyube", at concerts of which he has repeatedly spoken up at rallies, preceded the president's appearance at the concert.

Putin last visited Sevastopol in August 2017.