SIMFEROPOL, March 16 Referendum March 16, 2014 years in Sevastopol and Crimea demonstrated the exercise of true democracy, and also that the people are the source of power, said Sevastopol Senator Yekaterina Altabayeva.
On March 16, 2014, a nationwide referendum was held in Crimea and Sevastopol.
«March 16 is the day of our Victory for Sevastopol and Crimeans! We said no to neo-Nazism and violence, attempts to deprive us of our native Russian language and true history, to cut us off from the Russian world, our Motherland — Russia. This is the day when hundreds of thousands of people showed in practice that the people are the source of power, how true democracy is carried out. And this is the day of Russia's strength! Altabaeva said.
Crimea became a Russian region after a referendum held there in March 2014, in which 96.77% of voters in the Republic of Crimea and 95.6% of Sevastopol residents voted for joining Russia. Ukraine still considers Crimea its own, but temporarily occupied territory. The Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the inhabitants of Crimea democratically, in full accordance with international law and the UN Charter, voted for reunification with Russia. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the issue of Crimea is «finally closed».
Earlier, Sergei Aksyonov said that if the referendum in Crimea were held now, and not 9 years ago, the results would be the same.