( CNN ) When Vladimir Putin reappears , he does it with style -- and an in-your-face attitude . The Russian President attended a large concert in Moscow 's Red Square on Wednesday to commemorate the first anniversary of his country 's annexation of the Ukrainian territory of Crimea , an act condemned by many in the international community as illegal . Only Putin does n't call it annexation . He calls it reunification . According to the presidential website , Putin attended the `` We 're Together ! '' concert and meeting `` celebrating the first anniversary of Crimea and Sevastopol 's reunification with Russia . '' The peninsula became part of the Soviet Union in 1917 , following the Russian Revolution . But in 1991 , following the breakup of the Soviet Union , it became part of a newly independent Ukraine . On March 16 , 2014 , Crimea held a referendum on whether to continue as part of Ukraine or to cast its lot with the Russian Federation . The result was overwhelming , at least among those voting : 95 % said they wanted to become part of Russia . A mere two days later , Russia annexed the territory . Putin said later that he had been planning the move even before the referendum was held . `` Friends ! '' the President said in Red Square on Wednesday , according to his website , `` Exactly one year ago , Russia , which we are speaking of so much right now , and the Russian people showed amazing togetherness and patriotism in supporting the aspirations of the people of Crimea and Sevastopol to return to their native shores . '' The issue , he said , was `` our history , our spirituality and our statehood , the things that make us a single people and single united nation . '' Also participating , the website said , were `` popular Russian music groups and singers . '' Putin was recently out of sight without explanation for 10 days , during which time various meetings were canceled . He reappeared only Monday . Lest anyone doubt he was still in charge , Putin , who prides himself on his fitness , has been displaying a different form of muscle this week -- the military kind . He mobilized Russia 's entire Northern Fleet in a military exercise that reportedly ranks among the largest since the breakup of the Soviet Union . NATO reported that , on Tuesday , Estonian radar detected an unspecified number of aircraft over the Baltic Sea . NATO sent jets to identify the planes and later reported that `` the Russian military aircraft '' flew on into the airspace of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad .
Putin attends concert in Red Square to celebrate anniversary of Crimean annexation . CNN reports Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea .