Russia's state-run Channel One suddenly interrupted President Vladimir Putin's speech at Moscow's crowded Luzhniki Stadium on the eighth anniversary of Crimea's annexation on Friday. Instead, the media showed patriotic songs that were played during the event. Later, however, the television broadcast the entire speech of the Russian president.

An explanation for the interruption came from Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He clarified that this happened after a technical failure of the server.

Transmission of Putin’s speech suddenly cuts. Funny business with Russian TV. Kremlin can’t help itself. pic.twitter.com/VrT9SMOonO

— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) March 18, 2022

What Putin said in his speech

“We are the multinational people of the Russian Federation, united by the common destiny of our land" - these are the first lines of the basic law of Russia, the constitution, and every word is filled with deep meaning and has great significance,” he said.

The President added that the people of Crimea were guided by this idea when they went to the referendum on March 16, 2014.

“They lived and live on their land and wanted to live in a common destiny with their historical homeland, Russia. They had every right to do so and they achieved their goal,” Putin said.

He said Crimea should have been removed from the “humiliating state” it was in when it was not part of Russia.

“It was necessary to bring Crimea out of this humiliating situation, out of this humiliating state that Crimea and Sevastopol were in when they were part of another state that financed these territories of the so-called a residual principle,” Putin said.

The Russian leader recalled that since 2014 the country has done much to “grow” Crimea and Sevastopol. “Things had to be done that are not immediately visible to the naked eye. They are fundamental: gas supply, energy supply, utilities, reconstruction of the road network, construction of new roads, highways and bridges,” the Russian president added.

Putin assured that the Russian authorities know what to do next, how to do it and at what cost. “We will certainly fulfill all the plans we have set,” he stressed.

Here’s the un-broadcast ending to Putin’s speech. pic.twitter.com/f9KuwlzMbP

— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) March 18, 2022

About the war in Ukraine

“Everything has to do with the fact that unity is a universal value for all peoples and representatives of all religions in Russia and specifically for our people, first and foremost for our people. And the best proof of that is the way our boys fight, the way they act during this military operation - side by side. They help each other, support each other and, if necessary, like brothers in arms, hide with their bodies from the bullets on the battlefield. We haven't had such a unity in a long time,” he said.

/Nova

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