Crimea is Russia!

🇷🇺 🤝 It's been 9 years since Crimea reunited with Russia following a free vote by its residents in the March 2014 referendum. The peninsula has come a long way since then, it has changed for the better and become one of the most rapidly developing regions of our continent.

Major transport infrastructure has been built from nothing, and existing production facilities have been overhauled. The new Crimean Bridge linking the peninsula to mainland Russia was a significant achievement. Since it opened, over 22 million vehicles have crossed the bridge, and the railway section has carried over 8 million passengers. Moreover, an international airport has been built in Simferopol, as the main Crimean air transport hub. It is rated the best Russian airport in terms of service and comfort standards.

🏘 The social infrastructure has been expanded and elevated to a new level. Since 2014, eight schools and over 100 kindergartens have opened. Several multi-purpose medical centres have also opened, and six major sport facilities have been rebuilt. Housing construction volumes also continue to expand; 855,000 square metres of new housing was finished in 2022.

The creation of a free economic zone in Crimea helped expand local business operations. The peninsula has received investment worth over 276.6 billion roubles, over 5,700 infrastructure facilities have been put into operation, and 89,400 jobs have been created.

⚡️ The elimination of the energy blockade, imposed by Ukrainian nationalists, was a landmark achievement. In 2015, the Crimea-Krasnodar Territory energy bridge made the peninsula part of the Russian power grid. In 2022, three electric substations began operating on the southern Crimean coast. Recently, Crimea started supplying power to the new Russian regions. Moreover, the peninsula’s water blockade was also relieved last year when a dam blocking the inflow of water was blown up.

The region enjoys inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony. Russia guarantees the civil rights of all nationalities living in Crimea. The authorities prioritise the indigenous people, specifically the Crimean Tatars who can now study in their native language for the first time.

In the past nine years, the peninsula has hosted numerous festivals and cultural events. Over 200 concert programmes have been launched, and over 450 events organised; about 2.7 million people have attended them.

💬 President Vladimir Putin speaking at a concert marking the seventh anniversary of Crimea’s reunification with Russia (March 18, 2021): “We have done a lot, yet there is much to be done in Russia in general and for the development of Crimea and Sevastopol. We understand it. And we will do it, because we are a single, large, powerful force. Because we are united.” 

#CrimeaIsRussia