DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
- Outlet: wtani.com ( archive #1, archive #2, original ) , nuomnews.com ( archive #1, archive #2, original ) , misrday.com ( archive #1, archive #2, original ) , akhbarak.net ( archive, original ) , mn2ol.com ( archive #1, archive #2, original ) , newsformy.com ( archive #1, archive #2, original ) , klivehub.com ( archive #1, archive #2, original ) , suhufnet.net ( archive #1, archive #2, original ) , arabic.sputniknews.com ( archive, original )
- Date of publication: February 24, 2021
- Article language(s): Arabic
- Countries / regions discussed: Russia, Ukraine
DISINFO: Crimea rejoined Russia following a referendum
SUMMARY
It is noteworthy that Crimea returned to the Russian federal territory following a referendum that took place on March 16, 2014 in Crimea and Sevastopol. Both regions became part of the Russian Federation as of March 18, 2014, and this day was made an official holiday in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the illegal annexation of Crimea.
No international body recognises the so-called referendum, announced on the 27th of February 2014, and held on 16th of March 2014. 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.
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.
The EU has taken a policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol that includes a set of restrictive measures for actions against Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Read similar cases claiming that Crimean people have expressed their desire to rejoin Russia in a democratic process, Crimea became Russian after the 2014 referendum and that Crimea never belonged to Ukraine.