Crimea is a region under "illegal military occupation," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday as he declared Canada would not recognize the region's forthcoming referendum on whether to join Russia.
Lawmakers in Crimea voted unanimously Thursday to split from Ukraine and join Russia instead, and scheduled a referendum for March 16 to allow voters on the disputed peninsula to weigh in on the decision.
The results of such a referendum would be illegitimate, Harper said — just the latest salvo of eyebrow-raising rhetoric to emerge from the Prime Minister's Office since the crisis in Ukraine escalated last week.
"Russia's invasion of Ukraine is an act of aggression, a clear violation of Ukraine's sovereignty, and of international law. Canada will not recognize a referendum held in a region currently under illegal military occupation," the statement read.