DISINFO: Crimea was and is Russian
SUMMARY
Crimea returned as a Russian federal region, after a referendum that took place on March 16, 2014, in Crimea and Sevastopol, and both regions became within the Russian Federation, as of March 18, 2014, and this day was considered an official holiday in Crimea, and the city Sevastopol.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea.
The EU does not recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and continues to condemn this violation of international law by sanctions. Crimea is a part of Ukraine and was illegally annexed by Russia. The annexation has been condemned by the UNGA (A/RES/68/262).
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.
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.