In a rally marking the 10th anniversary of Crimea’s annexation, Putin declares occupied territories as integral to Russia’s future.

Russian President Vladimir Putin marked the 10th anniversary of Crimea’s annexation with a speech to a crowd at Moscow’s Red Square on March 18, 2024, declaring that Crimea had “returned to our common family” and reaffirming the integration of the region into Russia. He also extended this rhetoric to the Donbas region, calling it part of “New Russia,” a term used historically to describe areas of southeastern Ukraine annexed or occupied by Russia.

Putin emphasized that Crimea had always carried “faith in their fatherland,” which had allowed the region to rejoin Russia. He also made a notable comparison, referring to Crimea as an “unsinkable aircraft carrier” that had returned to its “home harbor.”

This rhetoric was part of a larger celebration of his re-election, with other presidential candidates participating in the event. Despite the overwhelming victory, with Putin securing nearly 90% of the vote, the election was widely criticized by observers, with the independent group Golos calling it the most fraudulent in Russia’s history. Golos accused the election of failing to meet constitutional standards, citing a lack of political freedoms and repression during the campaign.

In his speech, Putin also highlighted new infrastructure projects, including a rail link being built through occupied regions of Ukraine, reinforcing his claims that these areas had “declared their desire to return to their native family”—a thinly veiled reference to Russia’s annexation of territories.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a meeting with US Senator Lindsey Graham, stressed the importance of continued US military aid, which he described as crucial for strengthening Ukraine’s economy and armed forces in the face of Russian aggression.

The speech and the continued occupation of Ukrainian territories have intensified tensions in the region, with the West rejecting Russia’s claims and continuing to support Ukraine diplomatically and militarily.