Putin flies into Crimea for annexation party, launches power stations

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an inauguration ceremony of power stations in the cities of Sevastopol and Simferopol through videolink during his visit to Sevastopol, Crimea, March 18, 2019. Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

SEVASTOPOL/MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin flew into Crimea on Monday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Russia's annexation of the region from Ukraine and led cheering crowds in repeated chants of "Russia" after inaugurating two new power stations.

Putin, who has poured billions of Russian taxpayer dollars into Crimea since Moscow seized control of it in 2014, attended the launch of a power station in the city of Sevastopol and oversaw the launch of another in Simferopol by video conference.