MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. The reunification of Crimea with Russia that took place 10 years ago fully complied with international law, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"Most importantly, Crimea is an inseparable part of the Russian Federation, both de jure and de facto. And the declaration of Crimea’s independence and its subsequent decision on accession to the Russian Federation was in full compliance with international law," the spokesman said.
Peskov admitted that he does not know the ins and outs of the bill invalidating the 1954 transfer of the Crimea Region to Ukraine, so he refrained from commenting on it.
Previously, the Russian State Duma online database published a bill on the invalidation of the 1954 decision to transfer the Crimea Region from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) to the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), introduced by State Duma Deputy Konstantin Zatulin and senator Sergey Tsekov. According to Article 1 of the bill, the 1954 decision on the transfer of Crimea, which was carried out via acts that were legally void, violating the Constitution of the USSR and the Constitution of the RSFSR, should be recognized as illegal and non-compliant with the basic principles of supremacy of law and international law.
In addition, the Russian Federation, as the legal successor of the USSR and the RSFSR, "viewing the decision on the transfer of the Crimea Region without consideration of the will of the Russian people as a political crime, overcoming the consequences of arbitrariness," recognizes the April 26, 1954 USSR law and all other 1954 decisions, related to the handover of Crimea, as "invalid and legally inconsequential since the moment of adoption."
March 16, 2024, marked the 10th anniversary of the referendum that made Crimea and the city of Sevastopol part of Russia again amid a coup d’etat in Ukraine. About 96% of respondents voted in favor of reconciliation with Russia both in Crimea and Sevastopol. On March 18, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law admitting both regions to Russia. On March 21, the law was ratified by the Federal Assembly.