Turkey backs Ukraine’s territorial integrity on 11th anniversary of Crimea pseudo-referendum

This was stated by the press service of the Turkish Foreign Ministry on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of Russia's illegal referendum in Crimea, Ukrinform reports.

“On the anniversary of the annexation of Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea by the Russian Federation through an illegitimate referendum eleven years ago today (16 March), we reiterate that Türkiye does not recognize the de facto situation in Crimea, which constitutes a violation of international law, and that we support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,” the Foreign Ministry said.

The Turkish ministry also added that the country will continue to closely monitor the developments in Crimea, in particular with regard to the Crimean Tatars.

“We will continue to closely monitor developments in Crimea, particularly the situation of the Crimean Tatar Turks, the indigenous people of the peninsula, and we will keep them on the agenda of the international community,” the Foreign Ministry said.

As reported, on March 16, 2014, a so-called “referendum” on the status of Crimea was held in the temporarily occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol in violation of Ukrainian law and the legislation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea - under the forceful pressure of the Russian military, as well as with the support of the Russian propaganda media.

According to the aggressor state, 96.77% of Crimean residents allegedly supported the peninsula's accession to Russia, and 95.6% of the city's residents in Sevastopol “voted” for Russia.

Two days later, on March 18, 2014, the Kremlin signed the so-called “agreement on the accession of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation”. The majority of UN member states and other international organizations recognized the falsified Crimean “referendum” staged by the occupiers as illegitimate.