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Disinfo: Crimea became part of Russia following a referendum held after the coup in Kiev

Summary

Crimea became part of Russia in March 2014 by a referendum held after the coup in Kiev. 96.77 percent of the voters of the Republic of Crimea and 95.6 percent of the residents of Sevastopol voted in favor of unification with Russia.

Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on Russia's annexation of Crimea, claiming that people chose to rejoin Russia through a legal and democratic referendum. For similar cases, see here and here. No international body recognises the so-called referendum held on 16th of March 2014. On the 27th of February 2014, when it was announced, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which stated that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. A year after the illegal annexation, even the Kremlin admitted that the plan to annex Crimea was ordered weeks before the so-called referendum.

It is also a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Euromaidan claiming that there was a coup d’état. There was no coup d’état in Ukraine. The onset of the Euromaidan protests was a spontaneous  and endogenous reaction by numerous segments of the Ukrainian population to former President Yanukovych’s sudden withdrawal  from the promised Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013. See the full debunk here

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  • Reported in: Issue 184
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 26/01/2020
  • Language/target audience: Serbian
  • Country: Serbia
  • Keywords: Coup, Euromaidan, Crimea
  • Outlet: Sputnik Serbia

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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Disproof

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Disproof

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Disproof

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