Russia‘s annexation of Crimea has resulted in startling disruption to everyday life, with banks running out of money, prices soaring, and even problems with water supplies.
As the president, Vladimir Putin, flew into the peninsula for the first time since Russia wrested control of Crimea in March for a Victory Day appearance, the huge task of assimilating a region almost the size of Belgium with 2 million people was becoming more and more apparent.
In the runup to the Victory Day celebrations, disgruntled crowds have been standing in line outside banks up and down Crimea. At one Sberbank Russia branch this week a sign on the door announced that all the bank’s branches had been closed.
Alec Luhn 