DISINFO: Over 95% of Crimea voted to be part of Russia
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
Tags:
illegal annexation Manipulated elections/referendum Crimea Referendum

DISINFO: Over 95% of Crimea voted to be part of Russia

SUMMARY

Crimea joined Russia once again, after a general referendum that took place in March 2014, with 96.77% of the Crimean Republic population, and 95.6% in Sevastopol, voting in favour of joining Russia.

RESPONSE

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea. No international body recognises the so-called referendum, announced 27th of February and held less than three weeks later. On March 27th, 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it 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. The oft-cited figure of 97% has been contested by the Kremlin’s own Human Rights Council, which estimated that only between 30% and 50% of Crimeans took part in the referendum, of which some 50-60% favoured secession. See here for the EU statement on the fifth anniversary of Crimea annexation. Read similar cases claiming that Crimean people have expressed their desire to rejoin Russia in a democratic process and that Crimea never belonged to Ukraine.

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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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