Russian President Vladimir Putin says he has signed off on establishment of a Russian military task force in Crimea, which voluntarily joined Russia in March.
“The Defense Ministry prepared ... a separate program for the creation and development of military forces in Crimea. I approved this program,” Putin said during a visit to Crimea on Thursday.
The Russian president, however, said the planned military presence will be neither “excessive” nor “expensive.”
Putin reiterated that Crimea is an inseparable part of Russia, adding that Moscow will make efforts to prop up the Black Sea peninsula’s economy.
He also touched on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, saying Moscow “will do everything that depends on us to make sure that the (Ukrainian) conflict ends as soon as possible.”
Putin said Ukraine “has plunged into bloody chaos, into a fratricidal conflict.”
On March 16, Crimea’s largely Russian-speaking residents voted in a referendum to break away from Ukraine and join Russia.
The Ukrainian government, the United States and the European Union rejected the referendum and condemned the joining of Crimea to Russia.
On March 21, President Putin signed into law the documents officially making Crimea part of the Russian territory. Putin said the move was carried out based on international law.
Located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, the Crimea peninsula is of strategic value.
Crimea is also of high importance economically as the peninsula is home to several natural gas fields onshore and offshore, all connected to Ukraine’s pipeline system.
Russia said last month it would invest more than USD 20 billion in Crimea up to 2020 mainly for building a bridge across a four-kilometer strait separating Crimea from Russia.
KA/HSN
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/14/375299/putin-approves-crimea-military-force/