Whose land is Crimea? Man-on-the street interview in Minsk (ENG video)

Belarusian president Alyaksandr Lukashenka is famous for playing a double game. For example, after the conflict in Donbas broke out, he said that Ukraine ‘should stay united’ but stressed that ‘Crimea is de facto Russia’s territory’. The Belarusians are also divided on this issue. Belsat TV asked passers-by in Minsk: ‘Whose land is Crimea and why?’

“Crimea is Ukraine! That’s not good when some powerful state just grabs land from other country. Only Ukraine’s,” a man said.

“Crimea is Russia. It has always been Russian, even when it belonged to Ukraine,” a woman believes.

If you would like to get all the answers, watch the video above.

In April 2014, Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada adopted a law declaring Crimea and the city of Sevastopol city the territory seized as a result of ‘the armed aggression of the Russian Federation’.

Most of UN member states did not recognise the 2014 referendum in Crimea. G7, NATO member states, the European Union, the Council of Europe regarded the Russian actions as aggression and violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

In December 2018, the UN Assembly urged the Russian Federation to withdraw its military forces from Crimea and to end its temporary occupation of Ukraine’s territory. According to the document, Russia’s actions in Crimea, Azov and Black Seas are not only a threat to Ukraine, but they also undermine the security and stability of the entire European region. 19 States, including Belarus, Russia, Armenia, Syria, Cuba, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, voted against the resolution.

Minsk travel agency sells tickets to occupied Crimea. Customers may face problems in Ukraine

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