Russia's annexation claims Anniversary and rebuilding

Sep 2026

Oleg Shishkin's fourth-anniversary feature presents supportive residents and Russian-sponsored reconstruction in Luhansk, Melitopol, Mariupol and Razdolnoye. It reports renovated Luhansk schools 52 and 57 reopening for the new school year, Melitopol education renovations and a functioning regional vascular centre with more than one thousand operations and over three hundred heart-attack patients reportedly saved. It describes apartment handovers and school activities elsewhere. The package recalls the 2022 referendum figures claimed by Russian authorities, Kremlin signing footage and supportive Melitopol reactions. It then reports anniversary flags, a St Petersburg flash mob, embassy demonstrations, memorial names in Moscow and a Krasnodon monument; public events in Kherson region were cancelled for security. Praise of Russian rule, referendum legitimacy and reported recovery remain attributed to the broadcaster and interviewees; the report acknowledges substantial rebuilding remains.

Vremya reports two renovated Luhansk schools opening for the new academic year. It says Moscow specialists substantially rebuilt Gymnasium 52 apart from its supporting walls and renovated School 57 to Russian standards. School 57's principal describes new walls and wiring, while a Moscow utility specialist describes parents' and children's reactions. These are the programme's reconstruction claims and direct participants' assessments.