Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation

Russian lawmakers on Wednesday voted unanimously to ratify a landmark mutual defense pact with North Korea, as Kiev and the West claim Pyongyang sent thousands of troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine.

The agreement formalizes months of deepening security cooperation between the two nations, which were Communist allies throughout the Cold War.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed that Türkiye never recognized the annexation of Crimea, a situation he said has worsened the suffering of the region’s inhabitants.

The Turkish president, in a recorded message to the Crimea Platform Leaders’ Summit, stressed that the return of Crimea to Ukraine is a requirement of international law.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has renewed his call for a fair and lasting peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine to end the ongoing war, reaffirming Türkiye's strong support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Ten Ukrainian civilians held prisoner for years by Russia arrived in Kyiv overnight Saturday after the mediation of the Vatican, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

They were freed Friday. Some had been captured years before Russia's full-scale invasion . The pope has said the Holy See has been involved in past prisoner swaps during the Ukraine war.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and senior Russian General Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff. This action is taken in response to alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine.

In order to counter Russian influence in Bulgaria, a group of fifteen MPs, including prominent figures such as Nadezhda Yordanova and Ivaylo Mirchev, has submitted a draft law to the National Assembly. This proposed legislation seeks to enable the implementation of international restrictive measures within Bulgarian borders, addressing a critical gap in the country's legal framework.

Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) is reportedly planning the destruction of the Crimean bridge within the next three months. The bridge, which connects Russia to the occupied Crimean peninsula, has long been a contentious symbol of Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The Ukrainian armed forces launched a targeted strike on occupied Sevastopol in the Crimean Peninsula, destroying two Russian amphibious ships along with a communications center and several other infrastructure facilities, according to Ukrinform.

After two years of a heroic defense that cost Russia more than one-third of its active duty military, Ukraine is nearing its breaking point. It is short of both men and ammunition. 

Türkiye has reiterated that it won't recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea and underlined its support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry issued a written statement "Regarding the Tenth Anniversary of the Illegal Annexation of Crimea" on March 16.