Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Crimea on Saturday on an unannounced visit to mark the ninth anniversary of the Russian annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine.
Putin was greeted by Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-established governor of Sevastopol, and taken to see a new children’s center and art school in what the official said was a surprise visit.
State media did not air any comments from Putin, a day after the International Criminal Court said it had issued an arrest warrant against him and charged him with war crimes for illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine .
Putin has yet to publicly comment on the move. His spokesman called it “invalid and void”, and said that Russia finds the questions raised by the ICC “offensive and unacceptable”.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, eight years before launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine says it will fight to drive Russia out of Crimea and all other territories Russia has annexed in the year-long war.
Putin was greeted by Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-established governor of Sevastopol, and taken to see a new children’s center and art school in what the official said was a surprise visit.
State media did not air any comments from Putin, a day after the International Criminal Court said it had issued an arrest warrant against him and charged him with war crimes for illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine .
Putin has yet to publicly comment on the move. His spokesman called it “invalid and void”, and said that Russia finds the questions raised by the ICC “offensive and unacceptable”.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, eight years before launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine says it will fight to drive Russia out of Crimea and all other territories Russia has annexed in the year-long war.