DISINFO: Ten years ago, Crimea reunified with Russia after a referendum
SUMMARY
Ten years ago, Crimea reunified with Russia. Crimea and Sevastopol became Russian entities again after the referendum on 16 March 2014. In Crimea, 96.77% of its inhabitants voted in favour of accession, while in Sevastopol it was 95.6%. On 18 March 2014, the President of Russia, the authorities of Crimea and the Mayor of Sevastopol signed the agreement for their re-entry into Russia.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea, claiming that it is a legitimate act of the Crimean people.
Crimea is internationally recognized as Ukrainian territory according to international law. On the basis of the Budapest Memorandum, signed in 1994, Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in return for a guarantee of its territorial integrity and political independence from Russia, the US, and the UK. 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. In response to the annexation, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against Russia. Read more about the EU's policy towards Crimea here.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Russia saved Crimea 10 years ago, that Crimea and Sevastopol are an integral part of Russia, that Ukraine sold Crimea to the West, or that the annexation of Crimea brought peace and prosperity to this region.