Russia marks two years since annexation of Crimea.

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• published: 24 Mar 2016
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Russia marks two years since its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula. RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT SHOWS: SIMFEROPOL, CRIMEA, UKRAINE (FILE- FEBRUARY 26, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. PROTESTERS HOLDING BLUE FLAGS OF TATAR MINORITY 2. TWO WOMEN SHOUTING: "RUSSIA! RUSSIA!" SIMFEROPOL, CRIMEA, UKRAINE (FILE- FEBRUARY 26, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 3. PEOPLE FIGHTING, PULLING RUSSIAN NATIONAL FLAG 4. VARIOUS OF PRO-UKRAINIAN AND PRO-RUSSIAN PROTESTERS BAKHCHISARAY, CRIMEA (FILE - MARCH 6, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. VARIOUS OF RUSSIAN MILITARY CONVOY SEVASTOPOL, CRIMEA (FILE - MARCH 8, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. VARIOUS OF A3009 UKRAINIAN MISSILE DEFENCE BASE 7. RUSSIAN MILITARY TRUCKS 8. RUSSIAN SOLDIERS STANDING NEAR TREE 9. UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS ON ROOFTOP 10. GUN MOUNTED ON ARMOURED VEHICLE 11. SOLDIER ON ROOFTOP 12. SOLDIER LOOKING THROUGH DOOR 13. UKRAINIAN COAT OF ARMS BELBEK MILITARY BASE NEAR SEVASTOPOL, CRIMEA (FILE - MARCH 22, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 14. RUSSIAN ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER (APC) BEING DRIVEN THROUGH STREET 15. JOURNALISTS HIDING BEHIND CARS 16. UKRAINIAN TROOPS BEHIND METAL FENCE 17. CROWD WITH RUSSIAN FLAG BEHIND APC 18. WIDE OF AIR BASE WITH BROKEN FENCE AND APC PARKED INSIDE 19. RUSSIAN SOLDIER AND APC BY BROKEN FENCE 20. UKRAINIAN TROOPS INSIDE BASE 21. RUSSIAN TROOPS SEVASTOPOL, CRIMEA (FILE - MARCH 14, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 22. VARIOUS OF CROWD WALKING WITH RUSSIAN FLAGS AND FLAGS OF RUSSIAN NAVY, SHOUTING "RUSSIA" 23. WIDE OF POLLING STATION 24. WOMAN CASTING BALLOT 25. BALLOTS IN BALLOT BOX 26. PEOPLE REGISTERING TO VOTE 27. MAN AND WOMAN CASTING BALLOTS, WALKING AWAY 28. BALLOT FALLS INTO BALLOT BOX SIMFEROPOL, CRIMEA (FILE - MARCH 16, 2014) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 29. PEOPLE WAVING RUSSIAN FLAGS ON STAGE, RUSSIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYING 30. VARIOUS OF PRO-RUSSIAN CRIMEAN PRIME MINISTER, SERGEI AKSYONOV (RIGHT), WITH CRIMEAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER, VLADIMIR KONSTANTINOV (LEFT) STANDING ON STAGE DURING RUSSIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM 31. FIREWORKS IN SKY MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FILE - MARCH 21, 2014) (RUSSIAN POOL - ACCESS ALL) 32. VARIOUS OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SIGNING LAW THAT COMPLETES CRIMEA'S UNION WITH RUSSIA 33. PUTIN STANDING UP, OFFICIALS APPLAUDING STORY: Russia began marking the second anniversary of the annexation of Crimea on Wednesday (March 16). The main day of concerts and parades in Russia to celebrate the March 2014 events is Friday (March 18). Russian forces seized control of Crimea after Moscow-backed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich fled power after months of street protests, a move described by Russian officials as a coup which threatened the safety of Russian speakers in Ukraine's southern Crimea region. The takeover began in late February when Russian troops without insignia appeared in various parts of Crimea, mostly outside Ukrainian military bases and government buildings. On March 16 a referendum, organised by Crimea's pro-Russian politicians and boycotted by a majority of local Ukrainians and Tatars, was held on the peninsula and was declared by organisers to show 97 percent support among those who voted for joining Russia. Russia's parliament approved the annexation of the peninsula on March 21 2014. The European Union and the United States denounced the referendum as a sham and swiftly imposed sanctions on Moscow following its takeover of Crimea. Following the referendum Russian troops took over all Ukrainian military and naval bases on the peninsula and Crimea's new Russian-backed leadership established control of the region's major enterprises and banks. Two years on the Kremlin is still standing firm over the annexation, though Ukraine, The United States and the EU on Monday have consistently condemned the takeover of Crimea, denounced the referendum and said sanctions would remain in place. Ukraine said in January 2016 that it plans soon to launch a fresh diplomatic initiative to recover Crimea despite Russia giving no sign that it would ever consider returning it. Many Russians say Crimea's annexation rights a historical wrong by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev who gave the territory to Ukraine in 1954, long before the Soviet Union collapsed. Russia underlined its commitment to Crimea by announcing a military build-up on the peninsula, home to Russia's Black Sea fleet and more than 2 million people, around 60 percent of whom are thought to be ethnic Russian. Moscow has also promised to pour in money to boost the local economy and help residents.