russian president vladimir putin joined tens of thousands of cheering supporters to mark one year since his takeover of crimea   a move that shattered ties with ukraine and the west putin appeared on stage today at a celebratory concert by the walls of the kremlin to make an impassioned justification for seizing the black sea peninsula scroll down for video  impassioned justification: russian president vladimir putin told crowds the takeover of crimea was to help and support 'our compatriots' an estimated 110,000 people attended the concert marking one year since putin's takeover of crimea  putin looked energetic and spoke forcefully to the enthusiastic crowd, which gathered just off the red square near st basil's cathedral  festivities: the concert was the culmination of days of highly choreographed nationwide celebrations  'we understood that in terms of crimea it was not a matter of just some territory, however strategically important it is,' putin told the flag waving crowd before joining in a rendition of the national anthem 'it was a matter of millions of russian people, our compatriots, who needed our help and support' putin, who resurfaced monday after a 10 day absence from public view that fueled intense speculation about his health and hold on power, looked energetic and spoke forcefully to the enthusiastic crowd, which gathered just off the red square near st basil's cathedral a member of the crowd said: 'it means a lot to us, it was always ours after all our grandparents shed their blood for it' women dance in the street and a russian flag is waved in the background at the anniversary celebrations  crowds disperse as the celebrations draw to a close st basil cathedral can be seen behind putin's supporters  missing: putin resurfaced monday after a 10 day absence from public view that fueled intense speculation about his health and hold on power  bust unveiled in president vladimir putin's honour  russian president vladimir putin has been immortalised in bronze the bust will be installed near st petersburg in may by russian cossacks the statue portrays putin as roman emperor julius caesar the concert in moscow   believed to have been attended by 110,000 people    was the culmination of days of highly choreographed nationwide festivities to mark the anniversary he ended his speech with three words: 'long live russia' despite condemnation from the west and kiev that the radical redrawing of europe's borders amounted to an illegal land grab, people at the event echoed the belief of many russians that the annexation had corrected a historical injustice 'it means a lot to us, it was always ours after all our grandparents shed their blood for it,' said security guard alexei, 39 putin signed a treaty claiming the black sea region of crimea as russian territory with crimean prime minister sergei aksyonov two days after more than 97 per cent of crimeans voted in favour of joining russia in a disputed referendum on march 16 last year the poll   unrecognised by the international community   was held under the eyes of elite russian troops who had swarmed key sites across crimea two weeks earlier in unmarked uniforms women wave the flag of moscow during the celebrations, led by russian president vladimir putin today  putin looked energetic and spoke forcefully to the enthusiastic crowd, which gathered just off the red square near st basil's cathedral  emotive speech: the russian president ended his speech with three poignant words: 'long live russia' a demonstrator, dressed in soviet era military uniform, sings and plays an accordion on his way to a concert marking the anniversary  supporter: a man attending the celebrations holds a banner reading: 'russia and crimea are together forever' putin claims he was forced to take over crimea   home to russia's key black sea fleet   to protect ethnic russians in the wake of the ouster of ukraine's kremlin backed president viktor yanukovych to many russians, it was considered justified payback for soviet leader nikita khrushchev handing the region to ukraine in 1954 in what was then a largely symbolic move since ukraine and russia were both part of the ussr the move sent relations with kiev and the west into a tailspin that has seen sanctions batter the russian economy and crimea placed under an effective economic blockade by ukraine a pro russian rebellion   which the west says has been orchestrated by moscow   quickly also engulfed part of ukraine's industrial east, sparking a nearly year long conflict that has claimed more than 6,000 lives celebrations in crimea: people also marked the anniversary on march 18, 2015 in sevastopol, crimea  a group of women sing at the celebrations in sevastopol, crimea on the first anniversary of russia's takeover  crowds not only gathered in russia to mark the date, but also in sevastopol, crimea where they waved flags  cossacks stands near a monument in sevastopol, crimea today as crowds gathered in russia to celebrate  to many russians, the takeover was considered justified payback for soviet leader nikita khrushchev handing the region to ukraine in 1954  ukraine and the united states have said that they will never accept the annexation of crimea by russia while some russians celebrated having recovered crimea, amnesty international accused the region's pro kremlin authorities of an 'unrelenting campaign of intimidation to silence dissent' under russia's rule 'since russia annexed crimea, the de facto authorities are using a vast array of bully boy tactics to crack down on dissent; a spate of abductions between march and september have prompted many vocal critics to leave the region,' john dalhuisen, amnesty international'sdirector for europe and central asia, said 'those remaining face a range of harassment from authorities determined to silence their opponents,' he said in a statement children in sevastopol, crimea hold russian flags while crowds gathered in russia to hear putin speak  while some russians celebrated having recovered crimea, amnesty international accused the region's pro kremlin authorities of an 'unrelenting campaign of intimidation to silence dissent' under russia's rule  ukraine and the united states have said that they will never accept the annexation of crimea (pictured) by russia  a sailor stands opposite the flag of the russian navy on march 18, 2015 in sevastopol, crimea  navy sailors prepare to march in sevastopol as people celebrate one year since putin's takeover of crimea 
russian vladimir putin crimea kremlin black sea putin russia ukraine west
russian president vladimir putin marked anniversary of crimea takeover . he appeared on stage at a celebratory concert by the walls of the kremlin . he made an impassioned justification for seizing the black sea peninsula . president putin claims takeover was to help and support 'our compatriots'. russia's annexation of crimea shattered ties with ukraine and the west 