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Disinfo: Crimea democratically voted for reunification with Russia

Summary

Crimea became a Russian region after a referendum was held there in March 2014. 96.77 per cent of Crimean voters and 95.6 per cent of Sevastopol residents were in favour of joining Russia. Ukraine still considers Crimea to be its own, temporarily occupied territory. The Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the inhabitants of Crimea democratically, in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter, voted for reunification with Russia, the Crimea issue is “finally closed.”

Disproof

A recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea.

The so-called referendum was organised under Russian illegal occupation without complying with neither the Ukrainian electoral code nor the Russian electoral code. The annexation has been condemned by the UN GA (see the resolution A/RES/68/262 on the territorial integrity of Ukraine). No international body recognises the so-called referendum, announced on 27 February 2014 and held on 16 March 2014. A year after the illegal annexation, Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that the plan to annex Crimea was ordered weeks before the so-called referendum.

The European Union does not recognise Crimea's annexation and continues to condemn it as a violation of international law. EU sanctions continue to be in place against Russia as a consequence of the annexation. For the EU's statement on the sixth anniversary of Crimea annexation see here.

See similar cases claiming that Crimea reunited with Russia after a referendum on the peninsula, that The West understands very well that Crimean issue has been finally resolved, that Crimea never belonged to Ukraine, that Crimean people have expressed their desire to rejoin Russia in a democratic process, and that Crimea was and is Russian.

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publication/media

Ritm Evrazii (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 220
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 14/11/2020
  • Language/target audience: Russian
  • Country: Russia, Ukraine
  • Keywords: illegal annexation, 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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