(Central News Agency) Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise personal visit to Crimea today to mark the ninth anniversary of the peninsula's annexation to Russia.

Agence France-Presse reported that this was Putin's first visit to the Crimea peninsula since the invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year.

In December, he drove across a bridge linking Crimea to mainland Russia.

Please read on...

Footage aired on Russian state television showed Putin visiting the Black Sea port city of Sevastopol, accompanied by Moscow-appointed local administrator Mikhail Razvozhayev.

Radzvozhayev posted on Telegram that Putin will attend the opening ceremony of a children's art school via video link.

He said, "President Putin is here, he is visiting in person, and he is driving himself. On such a historic day, the president is always with Sevanberg and the people here."

Russia formally annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 following a referendum that was not recognized by Kiev and the international community.

1120319