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Disinfo: Amendments to the Constitution of Russia confirm the Russian status of Crimea

Summary

The all-Russian vote on the law on amendments to the Russian constitution, which took place from June 25 to July 1, caused a huge stir in the Crimea. Crimeans, as in 2014, confirmed their intention to be part of Russia. The amendment to the constitution “on the protection of the integrity of Russia” forever establishes the Russian status of Crimea making the process of returning Crimea to Ukraine impossible.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Crimea.

Both the Crimean “vote” for “joining Russia” in 2014 and the “vote” for amendments to the Russian constitution in Crimea are not recognised by the Western world. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasises that the results of the Russian vote in the Crimea are legally null, have no legal consequences worldwide and are not recognised by Ukraine or the international community.

Representatives of the European Union condemned the vote for amendments to the Russian constitution in annexed Crimea. The EU emphasised that Russian voting in the occupied Ukrainian territory is a violation of international law. The United Kingdom and the United States adhere to the same point of view: “We are concerned about reports that Russia uses Crimea to conduct unauthorised polls, once again violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We insist that Crimea is Ukraine,” the diplomats emphasise.

Moreover, the Russian constitution has nothing to do with Ukrainian territories. According to Ukrainian laws, as well as international legal norms, Crimea is the territory of Ukraine and no Kremlin amendments can prevent the de-occupation of the peninsula.

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publication/media

Ria Novosti - Crimea (Archived)
regnum.ru (Archived)
Argumenty i Fakty (Archived)
Parlamentskaya Gazeta (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 205
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 02/07/2020
  • Language/target audience: Russian
  • Country: EU, Russia, Ukraine
  • Keywords: Occupation, Manipulated elections/referendum, Referendum, Crimea

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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