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The political status of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol is the subject of a political and territorial turmoil between Ukraine and Russia. Now on the one hand, Ukraine and the majority of the international community consider both Crimea and Sevastopol as administrative divisions of Ukraine, while Russia, on the other hand, considers both to be under a Russian federal district. The dispute came into being after the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol merged together as one so as to create the brand new as a single united nation and then unilaterally declared their independence from Ukraine during the 2014 Crimean crisis. This nation then acceded to Russia, where it became the aforementioned federal district, while the Autonomous Republic became the Republic of Crimea as a Russian federal subject and Sevastopol became a Russian federal city. However, Ukraine and the majority of the international community do not consider the merge, the independence, nor the accession as legitimate and still consider both entities as divisions of Ukraine.

Background

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Amidst rising tension in the region as part of the Crimean crisis, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol hosted a referendum to find out whether its people wanted to accede to the Russian Federation. The referendum took place on 11 March 2014 with 97% of voters choosing to leave Ukraine and join Russia. For this purpose, the Autonomous Republic and Sevastopol joined together as a single united nation under the name of Republic of Crimea. This nation then acceded to Russia where it was converted into a federal district under the name of Crimean Federal District. However, the accession divided the Autonomos Republic and the city of Sevastopol once again into two separate entities: the Autonomous Republic became the Republic of Crimea as a Russian federal subject while Sevastopol became a Russian federal city. Most of the confusion strives from the use of the name Republic of Crimea for two separate entities: (i) the partially recognized sovereign state that unilaterally declared independence from Russia under the name "Republic of Crimea" and (ii) the federal subject that was acceded to Russia as "Republic of Crimea" which is equivalent to the Autonomous Republic.

Regardless of all this, Ukraine and a vast majority of the international community have:

• not recognized the validity of the referendum,
• not recognized the sovereignty of the self-declared "Republic of Crimea" as country,
• not recognized the accession of this country into Russia as a federal district,
• not recognized the accession of the Autonomous Republic into the Russian Federation as a federal subject, and
• not recognized the accession of Sevastopol into the Russian Federation as a federal city.

Only Russia has recognized these events.

This lack of recognition strives primarily because the referendum included an option to join Russia while the region was under military occupation by Russia itself. The European Union, United States, Canada and several other nations condemned the decision to hold a referendum. In addition, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People—the unofficial political association of the Crimean Tatars—called for a boycott of the referendum.

The Republic of Crimea was only recognized by Russian Federation and was seeking UN recognition. The ultimate goal of Crimea's secession was for Crimea to join Russia as a federal subject. The European Union and others have condemned the referendum. The United Nations Security Council failed to adopt a resolution declaring the referendum invalid, as Russia exercised its right to veto as a permanent member of the council. However, the member states of NATO stated that they will not recognize the referendum.

On 18 March 2014, Russia and Crimea signed a treaty of accession of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian Federation following President Putin’s address to the Russian Parliament. During the transition period lasting through 1 January 2015, both sides will, according to Russian media, resolve the issues of integration of the new subjects “in the economic, financial, credit and legal system of the Russian Federation.”

On 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly declared the referendum invalid and reaffirmed Ukraine’s territorial integrity, by a vote of 100 to 11, with 58 abstentions and 24 absent.

Stances

Ukraine

The recently installed government of Ukraine, along with most sovereign states in the world, did not recognize the Republic of Crimea's claim to sovereignty, nor the unification of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea with Sevastopol, nor the referendum that paved the way for Crimean secession.

Russia

Russia recognized the short-lived Republic of Crimea shortly before concluding the aforementioned treaty of accession, which was approved by the Constitutional Court of Russia.

Russia claims Crimea as a federal subject, the Crimean Federal District, on the grounds of historical control of the area and the local population's right to self-determination.

International community

Six members of the United Nations have recognized the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol to be part of Russia: Afghanistan, Belarus, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria and Venezuela, and several others supported the validity of the Crimean referendum. Those include Armenia, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, Sudan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The referendum was also acknowledged by the largely unrecognized states of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Nagorno-Karabakh.

The vast majority of the international community, however, do not recognize the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol as part of Russia and instead consider them to be administrative divisions of Ukraine. Most nations located in North America, Europe, Oceania, and Central America, as well as some in Southeast Asia and Africa, have openly rejected the referendum and accession. The remainder have largely remained neutral.

See also

• International reactions to the 2014 Crimean crisis
• United Nations General Assembly resolution 68/39

References

1. "Mejlis to boycott Crimean referendum&". Ukrinform.ua. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
2. "Tatar leader: referendum's results 'predetermined'". DW.DE. 16 March 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
3. Крым обращается к ООН и всем государствам мира с просьбой о признании. Echo.msk.ru (17 March 2014). Retrieved on 23 March 2014.
4. Security Council Fails to Adopt Text Urging Member States Not to Recognize Planned 16 March Referendum in Ukraine’s Crimea Region. Un.org. 15 March 2014.
5. "NATO Allies won't recognize Crimea's annexation to Russia". Kyiv Post. 19 March 2014.
6. "Treaty to accept Crimea, Sevastopol to Russian Federation signed". Russia Today. 18 March 2014.
7. United Nations News Centre - Backing Ukraine’s territorial integrity, UN Assembly declares Crimea referendum invalid. Un.org (1 March 2014). Retrieved on 28 March 2014.
8. U.N. General Assembly declares Crimea secession vote invalid. Reuters. 27 March 2014.
9. Juan Valdes; Rosemary Wardley (5 March 2014). "300 Years of Embattled Crimea History in 6 Maps". National Geographic. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
10. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew (23 March 2014) Breaking With the West, Afghan Leader Supports Russia’s Annexation of Crimea. New York Times
11. Belarusian president: Crimea is de-facto part of Russia. rt.com. 23 March 2014
12. Lukashenko: Crimea is part of Russia now. itar-tass.com. 23 March 2014
13. "Nicaragua recognizes Crimea as part of Russia". Kyiv Post. 27 March 2014.
14. Russian Federation Council ratifies treaty on Crimea’s entry to Russia. itar-tass.com. 21 March 2014
15. Sarkisian Backs Crimean Referendum in Phone Call with Putin. asbarez.com. 19 March 2014
16. ^ Afghanistan respects Crimea's right to self-determination – Karzai. rt.com. 22 March 2014
17. ^ UN General Assembly approves referendum calling Russia annexation of Crimea illegal. Associated Press via Fox News. 27 March 2014
18. Kazakhstan supported Russia on the ‘Crimean question’. qha.com.ua. 19 March 2014
19. Kyrgyzstan Recognizes Crimea Referendum Results. ria.ru. 20 March 2014.
20. Маргелов: лидеры африканских стран поддерживают позицию РФ по Крыму. ria.ru. 20 March 2014
21. Африка признаёт референдум // Метро.- № 35 (47/2965). 21 March 2014. p. 4
22. ^ "Sokhumi, Tskhinvali Recognize Crimea Vote". civil.ge. 17 March 2014.
23. Karabakh Foreign Ministry Issues Statement on Crimea. Asbarez.com. Retrieved on 23 March 2014.

• Recently revised from March 2014
• Diplomatic recognition
• 2014 Crimean crisis
• Politics of Crimea
• Secession in Ukraine