On the occasion of the third anniversary of its annexation of four partially occupied Ukrainian regions, Russia hosted patriotic celebrations featuring schoolchildren, preschoolers, and public sector workers, as reported by the state youth agency Rosmolodyozh on Tuesday.

As stated by the agency, approximately 1.6 million individuals participated in over 13,000 commemorative events themed “Thank You, #WeAreTogether.”

This slogan resonates with President Vladimir Putin’s comments on September 30, 2022, when he declared, “We’re now stronger because we’re together,” in conjunction with the announcement of the annexations of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.

Kyiv contests Russia’s territorial claims, which lack recognition under international law.

Rosmolodyozh outlined that the anniversary events included interactions with Russian soldiers returning from Ukraine, video conferences with inhabitants of occupied areas, and initiatives to provide humanitarian assistance to veterans’ families.

Their statement was accompanied by visuals of young people arranged in the shape of the number “89,” referencing the official count of Russia’s federal subjects after the 2022 annexations.

This same numeric formation was also displayed by the Kremlin-associated volunteer platform #WeAreTogether, managed by the All-Russia People’s Front (ONF), an organization established by Putin.

Photos released by the Ostorozhno Novosti news outlet depicted students in various cities being organized to form a human “89.”

It was uncertain how many of these activities in schools and governmental institutions were genuinely voluntary.