Syrian Parliament recognizes Crimea as part of Russia
The Syrian government has recognized the Crimea as part of Russian territory, as stated by the Speaker of the Syrian Parliament, Hadiyeh al-Abbas, in an interview with Sputnik.
“We recognize that the Crimea is an integral part of Russia,” al-Abbas said, stressing that relations between Damascus and Moscow continue to be strengthened in all areas, especially political, economic, and social ties.
According to al-Abbas, the Crimea was part of the Soviet Union, and "because of the events that developed after the collapse of the Soviet Union and up to the present time, this area has returned to its roots after the free will of the people was expressed in a referendum in the Crimea. They decided to unite with the country. That's what happened.”
The internationally recognized Ukrainian territory of the Crimea was annexed by the Russian Federation in March of 2014 in the wake of the Ukrainian revolution. The Kremlin has faced international condemnation for its annexation of the Peninsula, leading many western countries to impose economic sanctions against Russia
Syria, Afghanistan, North Korea, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela now recognize the Crimea as a legitimate federal subject of Russia.