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DISINFO: The referendum in Crimea solved the Crimean issue once and for all

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

AI translations:

Tags:

Crimea Manipulated elections/referendum Ukrainian statehood Referendum illegal annexation Occupation Sovereignty

DISINFO: The referendum in Crimea solved the Crimean issue once and for all

SUMMARY

Crimea became a Russian territory after the results of the popular referendum held in the region in March 2014.

Kyiv and its supporters consider Crimea an integral part of Ukraine, while Moscow announced that the issue of Crimea has been resolved once and for all.

RESPONSE

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea.

The so-called referendum announced on 27 February 2014, and held on 16 March 2014, was organised hastily and at gunpoint following the covert invasion of “little green men” and barring impartial observers from entering the peninsula, thus no international body recognised it.

No international body recognises the so-called referendum, announced on 27 February 2014 and held less than three weeks later at gunpoint with the presence of Russian soliders occupying 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.

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 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.

See related disinformation claims alleging that Crimea has never been Ukraine; that Crimea rejoined Russia following a referendum; that Crimea "sailed" to Russia forever and the West agrees with it; and that Historical Crimean Russian land returned.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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