Putin goes to Crimea to mark the anniversary of unity.

President Vladimir Putin has travelled to Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the peninsula's reunification with Russia. He toured an art school and a children's center, and also visited the Tauric Chersonesos historical and archaeological park, which was founded 2,500 years ago and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the governor of Sevastopol, said the city authorities were poised to open the art school on Saturday, and Putin came there in person. He also praised the idea of the archaeological park, suggested by Bishop Tikhon (Shevkunov) of the Russian Orthodox Church and supported by Putin, which is being implemented at an incredible pace thanks to military builders. The Crimean peninsula overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in a public referendum after a Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014. Neither Western countries, nor Ukraine recognized the move, with Kiev vowing to take the peninsula back.