Russian President Vladimir Putin has been named an honorary citizen of the Crimean city of Sevastopol in thanks for his work in returning the city to Russia, local news agency Krym Inform reported Wednesday.
Chairman of the city legislature Yekaterina Altabayeva nominated Putin for the honor, citing the president's “large contribution in establishing Sevastopol as a federal city during its accession to the Russian Federation.”
“The fact that we returned to the Russian Federation is thanks to President Vladimir Putin. He has helped us to develop and provided us with a normal life. None of us here doubt that without him, the fate of Crimea and Sevastopol would be no less tragic than that of the south-east of Ukraine,” said Altabaeva.
Aside from Putin, Sevastopol can boast of having legendary cosmonaut Yury Gagarin, Soviet polar explorer Ivan Papanin, the author of "War and Peace" Leo Tolstoy and Ukraine's second president Leonid Kuchma on its list of honory citizens.
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