DISINFO: A good number of Western capitals do not recognise the 2014 Crimean referendum as legitimate
SUMMARY
In 2014 Crimea voted for its reattachment to Russia. Still, a good number of Western capitals do not recognise this referendum as legitimate, and London is one of them.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin deceptive narrative on Crimea’s illegal annexation.
Only a few countries worldwide recognise Russian sovereignty over Crimea as Sputnik listed: Afghanistan, Bolivia, North Korea, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Syria, Sudan and Zimbabwe.
No international body recognises the so-called referendum in Crimea. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Territorial integrity of Ukraine”, stating that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 17 December 2018, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, recognised on 17 April 2015 that "our soldiers were deployed in Crimea to help the inhabitants express their opinion." Vladimir Putin admitted (proudly) that the plan to annex Crimea was ordered weeks before even the Maidan protests culminated.
The European Union does not recognise and continues to strongly condemn this violation of international law, which remains a challenge to the international security order. In response to the illegal annexation of Crimea, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against the Russian Federation. In June 2021, the European Council decided to renew the sanctions introduced in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation until 23 June 2022.
Read also similar stories: The Crimea issue is finally closed, Crimea returned to Russia after a referendum, Crimea, Donbas separated from Ukraine after Nazi coup in Kyiv.