DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
- Outlet: akhbarelyaom.com ( archive, original ) , alkhabaralgded.com ( archive, original ) , alwatanvoice.com ( archive, original ) , arabic.sputniknews.com ( archive, original ) , ela5bar.com ( archive, original ) , Klyoum.com ( archive, original ) , Klyoum.com ( archive, original ) , lomazoma.com ( archive, original ) , shaamtimes.net ( archive, original ) , shrouro.com ( archive, original ) , vetogate.com ( archive, original )
- Date of publication: May 07, 2020
- Countries / regions discussed: Ukraine, Russia
AI translations:
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.