Six years ago, Russian forces seized the Ukrainian territory of Crimea. Moscow hastily organized a referendum on March 16, 2014, to give the takeover of the peninsula a veneer of legitimacy. According to the official results, 97 percent of Crimeans voted to join Russia. Much of the international community, however, considered the referendum a sham, conducted at the barrel of a gun. In this view, Crimea did not freely join Russia; it was annexed.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
Foreign Affairs: The majority of Crimeans are still glad for their annexation by Russia
A woman wearing a hat reading "Crimea" waves a Russian flag during a festive event marking the 6th anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea, by Mount Gasforta, outside Sevastopol, March 18, 2020.
