Serey Shuvaynikov

Chairman of Congress of Russian Communities of Crimea Sergey Shuvaynikov, right, holding a balloon with a portrait of Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko during the rally in Simpheropol, on Tuesday, on Tuesday, April 21, 2009. Nearly 200 adherents of the coalition Russian Front of Sergey Shuvaynikov "Rodina" ("Motherland") at the rally in Simpheropol demanded from the parliament of autonomy to make April 19 as 'official Russian holiday" - Day of Russia in Crimea. According to the words of rally participants, on April 19 (April 8 - in accordance with old style) 1783 empress Ekaterina II signed a manifesto on acceptance of Tamani island, Crimea and all Kuban territory "under Russian state". Participants of the rally laid flowers to obelisk of Dolgorukov and marched in the center of Simpheropol. Photo by Zair Akadirov/UNIAN