DISINFO: Russia saved Crimea 10 years ago
SUMMARY
Exactly ten years ago, Russia held a referendum in Crimea. [Russia] saved Crimea. [Russia] saved the Crimeans. This is what history will record.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea, claiming that the Crimean people chose to re-join Russia through a legal referendum.
In 2014, Russian troops forcibly obliged the parliament of Crimea to organise a referendum, which was illegitimate under international law, and then illegally annexed the peninsula and brought it under Russian territorial control. The annexation has been condemned by the UN, 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.
Following the covert invasion by 'little green men', the referendum in Crimea was conducted hastily and at gunpoint, barring impartial observers from entering the peninsula.
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.
No international body recognises the so-called referendum in Crimea. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution titled “Territorial Integrity of Ukraine”, stating that the referendum in Crimea was NOT valid and declaring its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea. 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.
See the timeline of the EU restrictive measures against Russia over Ukraine.
Read similar disinformation cases claiming that Crimea and Sevastopol are an integral part of Russia, that Crimeans made a conscious choice to return to Russia in 2014, that Crimea celebrates ninth anniversary of reunification with Russia, that Crimean referendum of nine years ago represents the highest form of democracy, that Crimea voted overwhelmingly to join Russia following Maidan, that Crimea is formally part of Russia, or that Russia did not annex Crimea.