The available choices did not include keeping the status quo of Crimea and Sevastopol as they were at the moment the referendum was held. The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People — the unofficial political association of the Crimean Tatars — called for a boycott of the referendum.[3][4] Many Western and Ukrainian commentators argued that both provided referendum choices would result in de facto separation from Ukraine.[5][6][7]
The referendum occurred while the peninsula was occupied by Russian soldiers.[8]
There were 135 independent observers from 21 countries who found the referendum legitimate[11][12], but it was not officially recognized by the heads of the European Union, the United States, Canada, who rejected its legitimacy because it violated the Ukrainian Constitution but didn't violate the international laws.[13][better source needed] The Russian Federation and 11 other UN members officially recognized the results of the Crimean referendum. 58 countries abstained.[citation needed]
A non-binding United Nations General Assemblyresolution was later adopted by a vote of 100 in favor vs. 10 against (with 58 abstentions), which declared the referendum invalid and affirmed Ukraine's territorial integrity.[16]
The official result from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea was a 96.77 percent vote ‘for’ integration of the region into the Russian Federation; turnout was 83.1 per cent.[17][18]Andrey Illarionov, former Russian government adviser, based on polls over the previous three years stated that the support for the reunification of Crimea with Russia was about 34 percent, and called the referendum "grossly rigged falsification" and the outcome "cynically distorted".[19]
A day before the election, the Crimean election spokesman Mikhail Malyshev said that 135 international observers from 23 countries were registered to monitor the referendum,[20][21][22]
and RT News informed that they did not report any violations.[20]
The EODE observer mission concluded that the referendum was conducted freely and fairly.[23]
However, concerns have been raised about the observers' objectivity.[24][25][26] The OSCE election monitoring mission was not dispatched.[27]
Crimea and Sevastopol are neighboring subdivisions of Ukraine located in the Crimean peninsula, a region with a long and complex history.[34][35] Demographically, the region is currently populated by Russian-speaking majorities but with such demographics undergoing dramatic changes for the past 200 years that have shifted the ethnic majorities from Crimean Tatars to ethnic Russians, due in part to the their deportation 70 years ago.[36] Following the Tatar deportation, large numbers of ethnic Russians and ethnic Ukrainians settled in the region.[37]
Polling by the Razumkov Centre in 2008 found that a majority of Crimeans would like Crimea to secede from Ukraine and join Russia (63.8%), and at the same time to preserve its current status, but with expanded powers and rights (53.8%). Razumkov characterized Crimeans' views as confused, unsteady, and sometimes contradictory and therefore vulnerable to internal and external influences.[41] Polling conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in 2013 found that 36% of respondents in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea wanted Ukraine to unite with Russia. A poll by the International Republican Institute in May 2013 found that 67% wanted to remain in Ukraine and 23% wanted unity with Russia.[42] By early February 2014, just days before the ousting of Viktor Yanukovych, a subsequent KIIS poll showed a 41% support for unification of the entire Ukraine with Russia.[43]
In the days leading up to the referendum, one poll conducted by the GermanGfK Group found that 70% of Crimeans who intended to participate in the referendum planned to vote to join Russia, while 11% planned to vote to remain part of Ukraine.[44] A poll conducted by the Institute for European Policy Studies found that 80% were in favor of reunification with Russia,[45] while another conducted by the Crimean Institute of Political and Social Research found that 77% were in favour of reunification, and 97% assessed the current situation in Ukraine as negative.[46]
Events leading up to the referendum
The interim Ukrainian government, United States, European Union, and several other nations stated that any referendum held by the local government of Crimea without the express authority of Ukraine is unconstitutional and illegitimate. The interim government in Kiev and the Crimean leadership do not recognize each other as legitimate.[3][47] Additionally, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People—the unofficial political association of the Crimean Tatars—called for a boycott of the referendum.[3][4][48]
On February 27, amidst tensions in the region during the Ukrainian revolution, the Supreme Council of Crimea voted to hold a referendum on the status of Crimea on May 25.[55][56] Olha Sulnikova, head of information and analysis department of parliament, reported on the phone from inside the parliamentary building that 61 of the registered 64 deputies had voted for the referendum resolution and 55 for the resolution to dismiss the government.[57]
Interfax-Ukraine reported that, "it is impossible to find out whether all the 64 members of the 100-member legislature who were registered as present, when the two decisions were voted on or whether someone else used the plastic voting cards of some of them" because due to the armed occupation of parliament it was unclear how many members of parliament were present.[57]
Enver Abduraimov, member of the parliament presidium, said that he did not go inside when he saw that armed guards who secured the building were confiscating all communications devices from deputies. Andriy Krysko, head of the Crimean branch of the Voters Committee of Ukraine, announced that no one from the parliament secretariat was in the building when voting took place.[57]
Originally the referendum was to be about the status of Crimea within Ukraine and was initially set for May 25, but later, on March 1, it was pushed back to March 30.[58] The referendum was approved by the Supreme Council of Crimea on February but the Central Election Commission of Ukraine denounced 27 it by stating that the Crimean authorities do not possess the legal jurisdiction to conduct it.[59] Regarding the referendum's initial purpose, the Daily Telegraph reported on February 27, that it, "appears to be for greater autonomy within Ukraine rather than for full independence."[60]
On March 4, the district administration court of Kiev nullified the no confidence vote in the Council of Ministers of Crimea and the appointment of Sergey Aksyonov as Prime Minister of Crimea and declared the organization and conduct of the referendum as illegal.[61][62] On March 6, the Supreme Council changed the date of the referendum from March 30 to March 16 and changed the choice for the referendum from greater autonomy to accession to the Russian Federation. This decision was made with 78 votes in favor and 8 abstentions.[63] Concerns were raised about the presence of armed forces outside the parliament and reports of lawmakers being denied access to the vote.[64][65] Later that day, acting President Turchynov announced "In accordance with power I am conferred on, I have stopped the decision of the Crimean parliament. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will initiate dissolution of the parliament of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. We will defend the inviolability of the Ukrainian territory."
On March 11, the Supreme Council of Crimea and the Sevastopol City Council adopted a resolution expressing their intent to declare independence pending a supporting result in the referendum, and on March 14 the Crimean parliament removed the coat of arms of Ukraine from its building.[66]
Unsigned posters and leaflets campaigning for the referendum appeared throughout Crimea.[67][68][69]
Several hundred residents of Crimea, mainly Crimean Tatars, left Crimea for security reasons according to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.[70][71]
Choices
There were two choices to choose from on the ballot. Voters were able to choose only one of these.[72] The choices reflected the following stances:[73][74]
Choice 1: Do you support the reunification of Crimea with Russia with all the rights of the Russian federation?
Choice 1: Вы за воссоединение Крыма с Россией на правах субъекта Российской Федерации?
Choice 2: Вы за восстановление действия Конституции Республики Крым 1992 года и за статус Крыма как части Украины?[75]
The referendum was to be decided by a simple majority with the choice with the most votes declared winner.[b] Media outlets reported different translations for each choice and labeled them as "questions" which has created some confusion and inconsistencies on the matter.[74]
The Ukrainian city of Sevastopol, which is also located in the Crimean peninsula but administered separately from the Crimean republic, was also included in the referendum process.[77] However, on March 6, 2014, Sevastopol unilaterally declared itself a federal subject of the Russian Federation.[78]
For the second choice, it was unclear whether the 1992 constitution was to be adopted in its original form or in its amended form.[76][79] The original 1992 constitution was adopted together with a declaration of independence, but parliament then amended the constitution one day later to affirm that Crimea "was a part of Ukraine".[c][81]
The ballot was printed in three languages: Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar (in the Cyrillic script).[86]
Procedure
There were two simultaneous referendums, one organised by the city council of Sevastopol[citation needed] and another organised by a special committee[citation needed] set up by the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Only Crimean residents with Ukrainian passports were allowed to vote.[87]
The voting boxes were transparent and the ballots were not placed in envelopes making some of the marked ballots visible through the box walls.[88][89][90]
In the evening of 16 March 2014, Mikhail Malyshev, the Crimean election Spokesman, reported that as of 20:00, 1,250,427 people or 81.36% voted in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and 274,136 or 89.50% voted in Sevastopol for a total of 1,524,563 or 82.71% of the electorate.[93]ITAR-TASS initially reported this as 1,724,563 voters in total,[94] but corrected it later.[95] The discrepancy led to some reports of a 123% turnout in Sevastopol.[96][97][98][99]
According to the Central Election Commission of Ukraine on February 28, 2014 there were 1,534,815 registered voters in the autonomous republic of Crimea and 309,774 in the city of Sevastopol, which totals to 1,844,589 voters in the both Ukrainian regions.[100]
Final results from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea[a][1] (Values in italics are calculated by an editor rather than provided by official sources.)
Choice
Votes
Percentage of registered voters
Percentage of all ballots cast
Percentage of valid votes
Join the Russian Federation
1,233,002
80.42%
96.77%
97.47%
Restore the 1992 constitution and remain as a part of Ukraine
Final results from Sevastopol[2] (Values in italics are calculated by an editor rather than provided by official sources.)
Choice
Votes
Percentage of registered voters
Percentage of all ballots cast
Percentage of valid votes
Join the Russian Federation
262,041
85.56%
95.6%
96.59%
Restore the 1992 constitution and remain as a part of Ukraine
9,250
3.02%
3.37%
3.41%
Subtotal of valid votes
271,291
88.58%
98.97%
100.00%
Invalid or blank votes
2,810
0.92%
1.03%
—
Total votes cast
274,101
89.50%
100.00%
—
Registered voters that did not participate
32,157
10.50%
—
—
Total registered voters
306,258 (reported at the City Council meeting)
100.00%
—
—
Legal aspects
According to Article 3 of the Law of Ukraine, territorial changes can only be approved via a referendum where all the citizens of Ukraine are allowed to vote, including those that do not reside in Crimea.[101] The Central Election Commission of Ukraine also stated that there are no judicial possibilities, according to the legislation of Ukraine, to initiate such changes.[102]
The Venice Commission declared that the referendum was illegal under both Ukrainian and Crimean Constitutions, and violated international standards and norms.[103] The Venice Commission stressed that self-determination was to be understood primarily as internal self-determination within the framework of the existing borders and not as external self-determination through secession. Moreover, any referendum on the status of a territory should have been preceded by serious negotiations among all stakeholders. Such negotiations did not take place.
Many scholars and politicians have stated that the referendum, was conducted under the cover of assault rifles and, thus, the result was obtained through violence.[52][53][54][104]
Party of Regions MP Yuriy Miroshnychenko claimed March 11 that "the Crimean referendum is illegitimate, and its holding must be immediately stopped".[105] Another Party of Regions MP, Hanna Herman, commented the same day about Yanukovych's press conference, "He needs to ... prevent the illegal referendum".[106]
On March 10, 2014 the de facto Prime Minister of Crimea, Sergei Aksionov, made an unofficial verbal invitation to OSCE to monitor the plebiscite as well.[109][110] However, later in the day, an OSCE spokeswoman said that Crimea did not have the authority to invite the organization into the region as it is not a fully-fledged state and, therefore, incapable of requesting services provided exclusively to OSCE members.[110] On March 11, the OSCE chair, Switzerland's Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, declared the referendum as unconstitutional and therefore the OSCE would not send observers.[27] Uninvited OSCE military observers attempted to enter the region four times but were turned away, with shots fired,[111][112] which was another reason given for not dispatching referendum observers.[113]
OSCE also published a report about their observations which "produced significant evidence of equipment consistent with the presence of Russian Federation military personnel in the vicinity of the various roadblocks encountered".[114]
The UNHuman Rights Envoy Ivan Simonovic had to cancel his trip to Crimea as the current situation did not permit his travel. He intended to observe the human rights situation which was Russia's explanation for its engagement in Crimea.[115]
Shaun Walker from The Guardian reported that during a press conference on the eve of the referendum, some of the aforementioned observers "went on political rants against U.S. hegemony in the world", describing the press conference as "rather bizarre".[f] Exit-polls were allowed only for the Republican Institute of Sociological Research since, according to Russia-24, no other organizations have applied for accreditation for exit polls.[118]
Reports
A Russian journalist stated that she was allowed to vote even after admitting she was a Russian citizen with only a temporary one-year permit to live in Crimea[119] "According to all the laws, this is illegal," she said in one interview. "I am a foreign citizen. How can I decide the destiny of the Crimean Autonomous Republic of Ukraine?".[120]
The chairman of the electoral campaign of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People claimed officials failed to check carefully whether voters' names were on the electoral register and that some voters were bussed in to Bakhchysarai to increase participation rates in the city.[121] Mejlis also stated that only 34.2% of Crimea residents participated in the referendum.[122][123]
There were reports of people confiscating identification documents before the voting day. Simferopol city administration confirmed these claims and declared these actions unlawful.[124]
A senior US official stated there was "concrete evidence" of some ballots having been pre-marked.[125][126]
There were three Czech observers, a deputy Stanislav Berkovec reported that the voting was free and the foreign deputies could move freely. According to his dialogs with people even the Tatars inclined towards Russia.[127] Another deputy Milan Šarapatka reported that the referendum was formally regular and that there was no evidence of pressure on voters.[128]
According to Miloslav Soušek (the Vysoké Mýto mayor), everything was standard, the course of the referendum was comparable to the elections in the Czech Republic, he saw no soldiers in the town.[129]
The next day after the referendum, the parliament of Crimea asked the Russian Federation "to admit the Republic of Crimea as a new subject with the status of a republic".[130]
Later on the same day, 17 March, Putin issued a decree formally recognizing Crimea as an independent state.[131]
On 18 March, the Russian, Crimean, and Sevastopolian leadership signed the Treaty on the Adoption of the Republic of Crimea to Russia,[132]
which was ratified by the Russian Federal Assembly on 21 March.[133]
A transition period is in force for integrating Crimean governmental institutions, ending on 1 January 2015.[134]
After the seizure of Ukrainian naval base at Feodosia on 24 March, Russian troops have seized most of Ukraine's military bases in Crimea. On the same day, the acting President of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov, ordered the withdrawal of Ukrainian armed forces from Crimean peninsula.[135]
Most countries that have taken a position on the Crimean referendum have condemned it as a breach of Ukrainian sovereignty. Only a few countries, including Armenia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and several breakaway states supported by Russia have endorsed the vote.
Domestic
The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People has announced that "Crimean Tatars will not take part in the referendum and deem it illegitimate."[136] Mejlis Chairman Refat Chubarov argued that voter turnout in the referendum among Crimeans could only be a maximum of 30–40 percent and that only 1 percent of the Tatar people participated.[137]
Ukraine – The Ukrainian government has announced it will not recognise the referendum. Acting president Oleksandr Turchynov stated: "It is not a referendum, it is a farce, a fake and a crime against the state which is organised by the Russian Federation's military."[138] Former Prime MinisterYulia Tymoshenko alleged Russian coercion in allowing the referendum and that the international community should not allow it to happen.[139]
International
Organizations
European Union – All 28 member states of the European Union believe the separation of the Crimea from Ukraine to be unacceptable under international law.[140]
The European Parliament rejected the referendum on independence in Crimea, which they saw as manipulated and contrary to international and Ukrainian law.[141]
Group of 7 world leaders said that they would not recognize the results of a referendum for Ukraine's Crimea region. The leaders called on Russia to "immediately" halt actions supporting the referendum on Crimea regarding its status.[142]
On March 15, the United Nations Security Council voted 13–1 (with one abstention: China) to condemn the referendum, but Russia vetoed the draft resolution.[143] On April 16, Assistant Secretary-General for Human RightsIvan Šimonović has briefed the Security Council on the situation in Ukraine, and turning to his 21 to 22 March visit to Crimea he said "Media manipulation significantly contributed to a climate of fear and insecurity in the period preceding the referendum, and the presence of paramilitary and so-called self-defence groups, as well as soldiers in uniform but without insignia, was not conducive to an environment in which voters could freely exercise their right to hold opinions and the right to freedom of expression".[144]
The United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution describing the Crimean referendum as illegal. One hundred countries voted in favour of approving a UN General Assembly resolution declaring the Crimean referendum illegal and affirming Ukraine's territorial integrity. Eleven nations voted against, with 58 abstentions.[16]
The Monitoring Committee, in its report that was the basis for PACE resolution No. 1988 (2014) of April 9, 2014,[145] questioned the official outcome of the referendum. Russians accounted for only 54% of the population and around 36% were Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians, who had announced a boycott of the referendum. The authors of the report argued that the combination of an 82% turnout and a 96% vote in favor of annexation was therefore implausible.
NATO – Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on March 14, "a planned referendum in Ukraine's Crimea region would violate international law and lack legitimacy".[146] On April 12, NATO published a fact sheet claims that "the referendum was illegal according to the Ukrainian constitution, which states that questions of altering the territory of Ukraine are resolved exclusively by an All-Ukrainian referendum and was organized in a matter of weeks by a self-proclaimed Crimean leadership that was installed by armed Russian military personnel after seizing government buildings".[147]
Venice Commission – Experts of the Council of Europe for constitutional law have said that the referendum in Crimea on the peninsula's joining Russia which the Crimean authorities plan to hold on March 16 is illegal and it is not in line with the Constitution of Ukraine. The Council of Europe's so-called Venice Commission which is made up of independent constitutional experts said Crimea's vote to secede was undemocratic and violated Ukraine's constitution.[148] Crimea's referendum to join Russia was "illegal", an advisory body of the pro-democracy Council of Europe said on March 21, as East-West tensions mounted over Moscow's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula.[149] The Venice Commission has emphasized that the right to self-determination should be understood primarily as an internal self-determination within the existing borders, and not as an external self-determination through secession. In addition, any referendum on the status of the territory requires serious preliminary negotiations with all interested parties, and there were not such negotiations.[149]
States
Afghanistan – The office of President Hamid Karzai said that Afghanistan respected "decision the people of Crimea took through a recent referendum that considers Crimea as part of the Russian Federation". Western press speculated that Afghanistan's government's break with its Western backers may have been due to Afghanistan's own irredentist aspirations to similarly regain Pashtun-inhabited parts of Pakistan.[150]
Armenia – Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan said on March 17 that Armenia is "for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis through dialogue, in peaceful and negotiated manner based on the UN Charter, international law."[154] During a phone conversation with Putin on March 19 President Serzh Sargsyan said the referendum in Crimea was an exercise of peoples' right to self-determination via free expression of will. Both leaders highlighted the importance of a commitment to the norms and principles of international law.[155][156]Asbarez commented that Sargsyan "apparently recognized Crimea's referendum to secede from Ukraine and join Russia."[157] In response, on March 20, Oleh Tyahnybok, the leader of the Ukrainian far-right Svoboda, urged to recall the Ukrainian ambassador to Armenia.[158]
Australia – Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has rejected the legitimacy of the referendum, given the brief time frame, the disregard of the Ukrainian constitution and the presence of Russian troops on the peninsula. Australia also imposes sanctions on Russia.[159]
Belarus - Position of President Alexander Lukashenko is vague: it includes "Ukraine should remain an integral, indivisible, non-aligned state" and "As for Crimea, I do not like it when the integrity and independence of a country are broken", on the one hand, and "Today Crimea is part of the Russian Federation. No matter whether you recognize it or not, the fact remains." and "Whether Crimea will be recognized as a region of the Russian Federation de-jure does not really matter", on the other hand.[160]
Canada – Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the Canadian government will not recognise the result and that the region was under "illegal military occupation."[138]
China – Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said, "China always respects all countries’ sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. The Crimean issue should be resolved politically under a framework of law and order. All parties should exercise restraint and refrain from raising the tension.”[161][162][163]
Finland – The Foreign Ministry described the referendum as "against the Ukrainian constitution and, as such, illegal" and said it would "only aggravate the situation further".[164]
France – Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that the referendum in Ukraine's Crimea region planned for March 16 is illegitimate and the annexation of Crimea by Russia would be illegal.[165] French President François Hollande told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in a phone call that the referendum planned in Crimea "has no legal basis."[166]
Georgia – On March 16, the Foreign Ministry released a statement saying it "does not recognize the referendum" as it occurred "amid pressure from Russian armed forces, in defiance of the universally recognized norms and principles of international law, with complete disregard for the Ukrainian national laws." It added, "Russia's attempt to annex Crimea represents a blatant violation of the commitments it has undertaken both under multilateral and bilateral agreements."[167] On March 17, President Giorgi Margvelashvili called it an "illegal referendum" and expressed his "extreme concern". He said that "it is unimaginable to speak about free choice and free expression of people’s will, where the situation is controlled by foreign, namely Russian, armed formations." He asserted that Georgia does not recognize the referendum and support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.[168]
Germany – Chancellor Angela Merkel called the referendum "illegal and incompatible with Ukraine's constitution."[138]
Hungary – In an interview to CNN's Richard Quest broadcast on 19 March, Foreign MinisterJános Martonyi asked if Budapest would back tougher sanctions on the Russians if the current ones did not succeed, said that if it came to it Hungary would expect EU member states to share the burden of the consequences equably. He said "we hope there'll be no need for that because also this morning we repeated and underlined again that diplomatic and political solutions should be found through negotiations between the parties."[169]
Iceland – On March 14, the Foreign Minister Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson released a statement saying "The forthcoming referendum Crimea is taking place under Russian occupation. It is not in accordance with international law and is only bound to increase tensions in the region. It goes without saying that the outcome of such a referendum cannot be validated”.[170]
India – India stated "There are legitimate Russian and other interests involved and we hope they are discussed and resolved." Further India made it clear that it will not support any "unilateral measures" against Russian government. "India has never supported unilateral sanctions against any country. Therefore, we will also not support any unilateral measures by a country or a group of countries against Russia." [171]
Kazakhstan - Kazakhstan views the referendum held in Crimea "as a free expression of will of the Autonomous Republic's population".[173]
Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyzstan views the interim Ukrainian government as legitimate and has stated concern over the crisis, and condemns any activities aimed at destabilizing the situation in Ukraine.[174] Nevertheless, the country recognized the referendum results as reflecting "the views of the region’s absolute majority."[175]
Japan – Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida announced a set of sanctions against Russia for its recognition of Crimea as an independent state. Japan does not recognize the outcome of Crimea's referendum to split from Ukraine, saying it violates the Ukrainian constitution, and the country's sanctions to Russia involve suspension of talks on relaxing visa requirements between the two countries as well as planned talks on investment, space and military.[176]
Lithuania – Lithuania supports and recognizes Ukraine's territorial integrity, including Crimea. Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius has labeled the referendum as unhelpful in engendering a solution to the crisis.[citation needed]
Norway – On March 14, the Foreign Minister Børge Brende released a statement saying "the referendum in Crimea, if it is held on Sunday as planned, is in violation of international law and lacks legitimacy”.[177]
Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs released a statement saying that the Philippines is concerned over developments in Crimea, and urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint under United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3314. The DFA also urged for "comprehensive, inclusive and peaceful dialogue and reconciliation, with full respect for the rule of law".[178]
Poland – The Minister of Foreign AffairsRadosław Sikorski told Corriere della Sera on 16 March 2014, that the Crimean referendum was a farce under the barrel of a gun, reminiscent of the 19th-century territorial acquisitions. Following a working visit of the Polish delegation in Kyiv, the MFA Press Office stated on 1 April, that Poland have allocated nearly half a million zloty toward expert assistance for the Ukrainian regional reforms.[179]
Romania – President Traian Băsescu issued a statement declaring that: "Romania considers the referendum illegal, and will not recognize the results".[180] Foreign Minister Titus Corlățean called it "illegal and illegitimate" and "a violation of the Ukrainian Constitution", adding that the "result will not be recognized by the democratic international community".[181]
Russian Federation – Chairman of the Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko, said that Russia will welcome Crimea to the Federation if the referendum passes.[182] President Vladimir Putin has further solidified Russia's position on the matter, stating: "The steps taken by the legitimate leadership of Crimea are based on the norms of international law and aim to ensure the legal interests of the population of the peninsula." [183] During a phone call with once deported, former leader of the Crimean TatarsMustafa Dzhemilev President Putin informed him that the rights of this indigenous people is important to him and that he ordered to prevent any violence against the Crimean Tatars.[184] On 17 March, President Putin signed a decree recognizing Crimea as a sovereign state.[29][185] The State Duma issued a statement that was supported by 441 legislators, with one abstention and said: "Welcoming the expression of will by the Crimean people at the March 16 referendum on accession of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia, the State Duma proceeds from the standpoint that the government bodies operating on the territory of Crimea will be maintaining inter-faith accord and language diversity of the republic. The State Duma will contribute to ensuring the safety of all people staying in Crimea, regardless of their citizenship, nationality, language or religion, and to observing their legitimate rights and freedoms".[186]Mayor of Moscow, Sergey Sobyanin congratulated residents of the Republic of Crimea. He recalled that Russians had always felt unity with Crimea and Sevastopol.[187]
Serbia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused to comment on Crimean referendum due to the caretaker status of the Government following the elections.[188]
South Korea - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “The sovereignty, territorial right and independence of Ukraine must necessarily be respected,” adding that “Our government cannot recognize the (recent) referendum on Crimean people and Russia’s (subsequent) annexation of Crimea.”[189]
Turkey – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey stated that, "The result of the unlawful and illegitimate “referendum” held in Crimea on Sunday, 16 March 2014, and the de facto situation that will prevail following the steps that will be taken in conjunction with this referendum will not bear any legal validity for Turkey and will not recognize." [190] Also, Turkey supports and recognizes Ukraine's territorial integrity, including Crimea.[191] Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has labeled the referendum as unhelpful in engendering a solution to the crisis.[192]
United Kingdom – Prime Minister David Cameron has declared that any referendum vote in Crimea will be "illegal, illegitimate, and will not be recognized by the international community."[193][194] Foreign Secretary William Hague said that "I condemn the fact that this referendum has taken place. ... The UK does not recognise the referendum or its outcome. ... we believe measures must be adopted that send a strong signal to Russia that this challenge to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine will bring economic and political consequences."[195]
United States – The United States will not recognize the results of the referendum, and will continue to consider Crimea as part of Ukraine.[196] President Barack Obama claimed that the referendum would violate Ukrainian sovereignty and international law.[138] The United States issued limited sanctions on a number of Russian and Crimean officials.
Venezuela - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused both the US and the EU of “double standards” over Crimea and recalled the Kosovo and Falkland Islands referendums as evidence.[citation needed]
Vietnam The Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lê Hải Bình said that "the measures need to respect basic principles of international laws and legitimate aspirations of people so that the situation will soon be stable for peace and stability in the region and the world." [197]
States with limited recognition
Abkhazia – President Alexander Ankvab stated that he "respects the will of Crimeans, supports and recognizes their momentous choice" and that the referendum "reflects the will of multi-national people of the peninsula."[198]
Nagorno-Karabakh – Foreign Ministry of the NKR said in a statement on 17 March that the referendum is "yet another manifestation of realization of the right of people to self-determination."[199] On March 18, a concert was held in Stepanakert dedicated to the "self-determination of Crimea" and was attended, among others, by President Bako Sahakyan.[200]
South Ossetia – Foreign Ministry stated that they "respect the right of population of Crimea to determine independently its fate."[198]
Transnistria - Irina Kubanskikh, a spokeswoman for the Transnistrian parliament, said that the region's public bodies had "appealed to the Russian Federation leadership to examine the possibility of extending to Trans-Dniester the legislation, currently under discussion in the State Duma, on granting Russian citizenship and admitting new subjects into Russia."[201]
^ abcMorello; Constable; Faiola (2014) "[Mikhail Malyshev, the Crimean election Spokesman,] who spoke briefly Monday morning on Crimean televsion, said a total of 1,274,096 people voted, for an 83.1 percent turnout. Of those who cast a ballot, [sic] 1,233,002 voted to shift to Russia, 31,997 voted to stay with Ukraine, and 9,097 were in invalid, Malyshev said."[91]
^Crimean Parliament (2014; in Russian) "Вопрос, получивший большинство голосов, считается выражающим прямое волеизъявление населения Крыма."[76]
^Kolstø; Edemsky (1995) "On 5 May 1992 the Crimean parliament adopted a constitution plus a Declaration of Independence. [...] However, on the very next day, the parliament inserted a new sentence into the new constitution to the effect that the Crimean republic [was] a constituent part of the Ukrainian republic." p. 194[80]
^Calculated as Total votes cast divided by Turnout
^Urquhat; Williamson; Nelid (2014) "[Walker has] just come back from a rather bizarre "press conference" of international observers for the referendum. It was 45 minutes before there were any questions, as the six people present mainly went on political rants against US hegemony in the world."[117]
^SAIDEMAN, STEPHEN (March 12, 2014). "In Crimea's sham referendum, all questions lead to 'yes'". Globe and Mail. ... voters in Crimea next Sunday will be asked whether they support the union of Crimea with Russia (an act of irredentism) or whether Crimea should be independent (secession). There is no alternative – one cannot vote for the status quo ante of remaining within Ukraine.
^Sergei L. Loiko (March 1, 2014). "New Crimea leaders move up referendum date". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 3, 2014. KIEV, Ukraine -- Crimea's new pro-Moscow premier, Sergei Aksenov, moved the date of the peninsula's status referendum to March 30. On Thursday, the Crimean parliament, which appointed Aksenov, had called for a referendum on May 25, the date also set for the urgent presidential election in Ukraine.
^Constitution of Crimea (6 May 1992; in Russian) Article 9. "The Republic of Crimea is a part of Ukraine and establishes relations with it on a basis of treaty and contracts." Retrieved on 15 March 2014.
^SAIDEMAN, STEPHEN (March 12, 2014). "In Crimea's sham referendum, all questions lead to 'yes'". Globe and Mail. ...voters in Crimea next Sunday will be asked whether they support the union of Crimea with Russia (an act of irredentism) or whether Crimea should be independent (secession). There is no alternative – one cannot vote for the status quo ante of remaining within Ukraine.