Ambassador of South Ossetia to Russia Znaur Gassiev, at the invitation of the Moscow City Duma and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Crimea, attended a gala evening in honor of Crimea's reunification with the Russian Federation.
"Today we are celebrating a historic event – the reunification of our great Motherland, Russia, with two regions that are traditionally Russian territories," the Moscow City Duma Chairman Alexei Shaposhnikov noted in his welcoming speech. "Some say Sevastopol has returned to its native harbor, others say Crimea has returned to its family. Twelve years ago, Sevastopol and Crimea received a powerful impetus for development. Over these years, the regions have noticeably changed, becoming more modern – and all this is the result of our joint efforts."
Georgy Muradov, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Crimea to President of the Russian Federation, stated that with the return of Crimea to its homeland, Russia has acquired a certain historical stronghold, which Crimea has at its core.
"This stronghold undoubtedly allowed the West, which had declared a new campaign against Russia, to break its teeth on the Crimean rock," he said.
Georgy Muradov also noted that "the Crimean Spring gave impetus to the formation of a new polycentric world order and became the starting point for a change in the global geopolitical landscape, a precursor to the Russian Spring."
Representatives of the Moscow government, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Moscow, and regional leaders also participated in the event held at the Moscow City Duma.
