Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Crimea


The Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Crimea was a joint resolution adopted on March 11, 2014 by the Supreme Council of Crimea and the Sevastopol City Council where they expressed their intention to join Russia, in the event of a Yes vote in a referendum that was to be held on March 16. The participants were at the time subnational divisions of Ukraine.

Controversies

The international community widely condemned the Declaration of Independence. A major source of criticism was that the referendum's adoption came after the building of the Supreme Council of Crimea was seized by the Russian military. During that time, no journalists were allowed inside the building to witness the council seating on the referendum. The Council seating on the referendum was not included in the Supreme Council's original schedule, which had no meetings originally scheduled for March 11, 2014. Deputies were forcefully brought to the building by Russian militants, and there is no evidence that there was quorum, which was a requirement for the seating to even occur.

Translated Copy

The document reads as follows:

International Condemnation

Russia had officially recognized the Republic of Crimea as an independent state and agreed to incorporate the Republic into Russian Federation. However, the international community condemned the referendum as undemocratic and illegal. On 27 March 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the "Territorial Integrity of Ukraine" Resolution, which recognized the referendum as part of the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. One hundred nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, voted in favour of the resolution. Fifty-eight democratic nations abstained, and a further eleven voted against.