DISINFO: Turkey considers Crimea part of Ukraine, despite the referendum that has established the opposite
SUMMARY
Turkey considers Crimea part of Ukraine, despite the referendum having established the opposite.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea.
Turkey, in line with all international bodies, does not recognise the so-called referendum, announced on 27 February and held less than three weeks later. On 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it stated 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.
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, recognised on 17 April 2015 that "our soldiers were deployed in Crimea to help the inhabitants express their opinion." Vladimir Putin admitted (proudly) that the plan to annex Crimea was ordered weeks before the so-called referendum and engaged the regular armed forces of Russia.
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.
Read here similar cases claiming 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; that seven years ago, Crimea became part of Russia after the referendum.