U.S. Secretary of State Athony Blinken on the seventh anniversary of the so-called "referendum" of Russia in Crimea called on Russia to immediately end the occupation of Crimea, release all Ukrainian political prisoners and return Ukraine full control over the peninsula.

"We call on Russia to immediately end its occupation of Crimea, release all Ukrainian political prisoners it illegally detain, and return full control of the peninsula to Ukraine," the U.S. embassy said, citing him on Twitter on Tuesday.