This is stated in MFA comments to the 9th anniversary of Russia’s fake “referendum on the status of Crimea” on March 16, and on March 18 the date of the attempted illegal annexation, when the so-called “agreements on the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation” were signed.
“For nine years in a row, the Crimean peninsula has been suffering from the criminal regime of the Kremlin, which has turned it into a military outpost, a zone of captivity and oppression, aggression and terror against everything and everyone who has found the courage to resist and defend their democratic rights and values,” they noted. in the ministry.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled that the illegal “referendum” organized by Russia on March 16, 2014 in Crimea, which was staged by the Kremlin and held at gunpoint, contradicted the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, grossly violated international law and was not recognized by the international community.
“In September 2022, Russia repeated this trick under the tracing paper by organizing a similar propaganda action called “referendums” in the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson, Zaporozhye, Lugansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. Both in 2014 and in 2022, the spectacle with referendums does not have any consequences for the administrative-territorial structure and internationally recognized borders of Ukraine. Most of the territories where they were held in 2022 have already been liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The liberation of all other temporarily occupied territories will also definitely happen. It is only a matter of time,” the ministry stressed.
The Foreign Ministry also noted that they highly appreciate the clear and unwavering support from the international community, in particular, the participants of the International Crimean Platform, regarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, which is enshrined in the resolutions of the UN General Assembly, decisions of other international and regional organizations.
“We express our gratitude for the readiness of our international partners to rigorously move towards the complete de-occupation of all temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. We will continue to make every effort to punish Russia and its leadership for the crime of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Ukraine,” the Foreign Ministry said in a comment.
Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Tauric Chersonese historical and archaeological park with the “governor” of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhaev, 03/18/2023. Photo: kremlin.ru
How informs Kremlin press service, on March 18, the Russian president arrived in occupied Sevastopol, where he visited the Tauric Chersonesos historical and archaeological park and examined the Korsun children’s center, a branch of Artek, and the children’s art and aesthetic center, which make up the educational cluster, opened on its territory .
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On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in the occupied Donbas. Russia launched missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and launched a direct full-scale invasion in four directions. The armed forces of Ukraine are rebuffing the enemy, the blitzkrieg plan – to capture Kyiv in two or three days – failed, the Russian army retreated from the capital. The Russian military commits thousands of war crimes and crimes against humanity throughout Ukraine.
Center for Investigative Journalism keeps a daily log Russia’s war against Ukraine on all platforms: YouTube, facebook, Telegram, Twitter
