MOSCOW, Mar 28: President Vladimir Putin on Friday congratulated the Russian armed forces for their role in the takeover by Moscow of Crimea from Ukraine, saying they had showed the new capacities of the Russian army.
"The recent events in Crimea were a serious test. They demonstrated the new capacities of our armed forces in terms of quality and the high moral spirit of the personnel," he said, quoted by Russian news agencies, for the first time confirming the direct involvement of the Russian army in the seizure.
Meanwhile, His eyes glazed and his step heavy, former Ukrainian soldier Sergei walks out of a naval office in Sevastopol after switching allegiance to the Russian army.
He is one of many making the choice to stay on in Crimea where the Ukrainian army stood by helplessly as Russia seized its military facilities in a matter of days after the peninsula voted to secede.
"I've decided to stay. I have my parents here, my wife's parents and my children," the grizzled soldier says softly.
Crimea showed \\\'new capacities\\\' of Russian army : Putin
FE Team | Published: March 29, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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