Crimea recalled the final determination of Crimea's status in 2014
The point in the issue of the status of the Crimean peninsula was set in 2014. This was stated by the head of the Crimean interethnic mission, Zaur Smirnov, on September 21.
The politician noted that the Crimeans in 2014 unanimously expressed their opinion on the reunification of the peninsula with Russia.
"All other statements are insinuations and nonsense, <...> the issue is closed forever," Smirnov said in an interview with RIA Novosti, adding that Crimea is the legal territory of the Russian Federation.
Earlier, on September 19, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski suggested at the YES meeting in Kiev that Crimea should be placed under the UN mandate to hold a referendum on its status in 20 years. He later retracted his words and called it a hypothetical discussion, emphasizing that Poland would defend Ukraine's interests to the end.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Poland's idea of transferring Crimea under the UN mandate absurd. He noted that the transfer of Russian territories and regions cannot be the subject of discussions.
Also Sikorski's idea was commented on by the deputy chairman of the State Duma defense committee, Yuri Shvytkin. He said that the question of Crimea's belonging has long been closed, noting that the peninsula was, is and will be part of the Russian Federation. The Duma also noted the inappropriateness of such proposals and called on states to recognize Crimea as Russian.
Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 after a referendum, in which the majority of the peninsula's residents voted in favor of reunification with the Russian Federation. Kiev refuses to recognize the results of the vote and considers Crimea its territory. The Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the residents of Crimea voted democratically and in full compliance with international law in favor of reunification, and the question of the peninsula's belonging to Russia is finally closed.
