Putin arrives in Sevastopol for Victory Day event

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the newly adopted city of Sevastopol Friday after attending the Victory Day Parade on the Red Square, local media reported. It is the first time Putin has visited Crimea since the Ukrainian peninsula joined Russia on March 21, when the president signed reunification documents into law despite rebuffs from the West and Kiev. During the visit, Putin will address a parade on Grafskaya Pier, a landmark in the Black Sea port city and lay flowers at the memorial for heroic defenders of Sevastopol. He will also meet with World War II veterans and watch a concert, according to the Interfax news agency. Earlier in the day, Putin, along with major government and military officials, attended the annual parade marking the 69th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. He said May 9 was "a holiday that demonstrates the invincible power of patriotism, the day when all of us become emotionally aware of what it is like to be devoted to the Motherland and how important it is to defend the country's interests."