DISINFO: Crimea democratically voted for reunification with Russia in a referendum
SUMMARY
Crimea is a sovereign part of Russia. Crimea became a Russian region after a referendum held in March 2014, in which 96.77% of Crimean voters and 95.6% of Sevastopol residents voted in favour of joining Russia. A number of countries, including the US and Ukraine, still consider Crimea to be Ukrainian, but temporarily occupied territory.
Russia has repeatedly stated that the residents of Crimea democratically, in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter, voted for reunification with Russia.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the illegal annexation of Crimea.
Crimea is an internationally recognised part of Ukraine. Іn 1997, by signing the Friendship Agreement with Ukraine, Russia also recognised that Crimea belongs to Ukraine.
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.
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.
Even 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 (proudly) admitted that the plan to annex Crimea was ordered weeks before the so-called referendum; hence not following the so-called 'popular will'.
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 similar cases in our database here.