DISINFO: Ukraine’s Crimea Platform is a swamp
SUMMARY
Ukraine’s Crimea Platform is in reality a swamp. Foreign countries should better think about their international image before getting involved in it. One can get dirty or even drown there. Such Ukrainian provocations will be cut short. Russia will not permit meddling with its domestic affairs.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin media, claiming that the Crimea question is closed. In reality, Ukraine’s leadership is constantly raising the Crimea question, calling on its foreign partners and allies to put pressure on Russia to withdraw from Crimea and Donbas. The Crimea Platform is aimed at drawing international attention not only to Russia’s illegal annexation of the peninsula but also to human rights abuses, which Crimean residents have been suffering since 2014.
A summit is expected to be held on 23 August 2021 in Kyiv within the framework of this platform, where world leaders will be discussing ways to mobilise a more effective international response to Russia’s seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. The President’s office works together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare appropriate invitations to world leaders, the relevant concept, the programme of the summit and organisational moments.
Russia is mounting repressions in Crimea against those who disagree with its illegal presence in the Ukrainian peninsula. Irrespective of their ethnic origin or religious convictions, Russia’s occupational authorities in Crimea have illegally tried and imprisoned many critics of the annexation. The case of Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov is among the most conspicuous ones. Members of the Crimean Tatar community are also frequent targets of persecution.
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 2020, 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 2021.
On 27 March 2014, the General Assembly of the United Nations affirmed its commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, underscoring the invalidity of the 16 March "referendum" held in Crimea. By a recorded vote of 100 in favour to 11 against, with 58 abstentions, the Assembly adopted a resolution titled “Territorial integrity of Ukraine”, calling on States, international organisations and specialised agencies not to recognise any change in the status of Crimea or the Black Sea port city of Sevastopol, and to refrain from actions or dealings that might be interpreted as such.
Read more disinformation stories by pro-Kremlin media about the alleged legality of the referendum.