Turkey doesn’t recognize Russian annexation of Crimea, stands for Ukraine’s territorial integrity

That’s according to a statement released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on the occasion of the anniversary of an illegal referendum Russia ran in Crimea, Ukrinform reports.

"Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea was annexed by the Russian Federation following the illegitimate referendum held on 16 March 2014. Turkey and the international community do not recognize this act which is a clear violation of international law., "the statement said.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry points out that the country will continue to closely follow the events in Crimea, particularly the situation of the Crimean Tatars, who are among principal constituents in the region.

"On this occasion (of the anniversary of the temporary occupation of Crimea by Russia - ed.), we reaffirm our support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a strategic partner of Turkey," the statement concludes.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on March 16, Russian aggressors detained in the temporarily occupied Crimea a rights activist, Abdureshit Dzhepparov.

Memo: on March 16, 2014, the sham "referendum" concerning the status of Crimea was held in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, temporarily occupied by Russia, contrary to the Ukrainian legislation and that of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, at gunpoint of the Russian military and local Russia-supervised "militias."

According to the aggressor power, 96.77% of Crimean residents allegedly supported the peninsula's accession to Russia, while in Sevastopol, it was 95.6%.

Two days later, on March 18, 2014, the Kremlin signed the so-called "Agreement on the Accession of the Republic of Crimea into the Russian Federation." Most UN member states and other international organizations have declared the rigged Crimean "referendum" staged by the occupiers “illegitimate.”