Crimea annexation: Putin admits sanctions 'damaging'

On the anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged the harm caused by Western sanctions.

He said the measures, imposed on individuals and key economic sectors, were "not fatal, but naturally damage our ongoing work," Interfax reported.
Thousands of Russians gathered for celebrations outside the Kremlin.
The future of the sanctions is set to be discussed by EU leaders this week.
European Council President Donald Tusk will push for the measures to be linked explicitly to full implementation of the Ukraine ceasefire deal agreed in Minsk, Belarus, last month, a senior EU official has told the BBC.
Mr Tusk wants the sanctions maintained until the end of the year, when Ukraine is supposed to regain control of its eastern border from pro-Russian rebels under the truce conditions.