Chubarov: “BBC is helping Russia annex Crimea”
The Russian edition of the BBC included Sevastopol and Simferopol among the cities of the Russian Federation.
This is stated in the BBC News Russian material dedicated to protests in support of liberal blogger Alexei Navalny, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The leader of the Mejlis, banned in the Russian Federation, Refat Chubarov, drew attention to this in his blog and demanded that the material be corrected.
“Let no one be misled by the link that the BBC posted under the map image: “Russia annexed Crimea and Sevastopol in 2014.” Firstly, a stupid inscription, as if Sevastopol is not in Crimea. The authors of this “clarification” apparently wanted to indicate the administrative-territorial entities in Crimea, but then it would be necessary to indicate “Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol”.
Secondly, 99, 99% of readers read the title of the material, and it clearly says “Rallies in support of Alexei Navalny in Russia on January 23, 2021.” In addition, according to UN documents and other international organizations, Russia has occupied Crimea and is attempting to annex it... Does the BBC want to help Russia annex Crimea?” Chubarov wrote.
Speaker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleg Nikolenko, speaking on the Dom TV channel, said that the diplomatic department had already sent a letter to the Russian Air Force service.
“We contacted the Russian Air Force, noting that it is unacceptable to designate Simferopol and Sevastopol as Russian cities. There is a resolution of the UN General Assembly, as well as provisions that say that Crimea is occupied, but not annexed. Accordingly, we turned to them to correct their designation on the map. And this is what the Ukrainian embassy in London is doing now. They are also in touch with the Russian edition of the BBC,” Nikolenko said.
In his blog, the Ukrainian diplomat also demonstrated ignorance of history, saying that Crimea was never part of Russia.
“BBC News Russian do not promote Russian false narratives. Sevastopol and Simferopol have never been cities of Russia. Crimea was not annexed, but occupied. International law matters,” added the representative of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
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