Ukrainian ambassador to the United States calls on Google to correct maps with 'Russian Crimea' Thursday, March 7, 2019 11:00:57 AM

Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Valeriy Chaly, called on the United States multinational technology company Google Inc. not to show the annexed Crimea as part of the Russian Federation.

“Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States, Valeriy Chaly, appealed to the management of Google Corporation to change the incorrect image of the Ukrainian Crimea, which is projected as part of the Russian Federation on some of Google Maps. In the official letter, the ambassador noted his clear position regarding the world-famous corporation and the Google search service involvement in the information war that Russia is leading in the world by spreading misinformation, fakes and propaganda as in the case of the Crimea on the maps, "read the statement published on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Embassy in Ukraine.

Valeriy Chaly noted that the situation with the Crimea's image on Google Maps absolutely contradicts the clear and unchanged position of the United States Administration, the United States Congress and the UN. The U.S. Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, stated in the Crimean Declaration that the United States will never recognize Russia's attempt to annex the Crimea.

The ambassador also noted the sanctions against Russia, imposed because of its annexation of the Crimea, remain in place.

Valeriy Chaly also recalled that the United Nations, in many of the General Assembly resolutions, such as " The Territorial Integrity of Ukraine", "The Problem of the Militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, Ukraine, as well as Parts of the Black and Azov ", and " the Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine ", clearly defines Crimea’s status as the territory of Ukraine.

“Google representatives, in their public speeches and interviews have repeatedly noted that Google’s policy is focused on the development of information beyond information warfare. The Ukrainian Embassy in the United States hopes that the global corporation will continue to adhere to such high standards and change the incorrect image of the territory of the Crimea on all Google Maps in accordance with international standards and documents, as well as the official position of the United States ", states the report.

At the end of January, the State Duma deputy, Alexander Starovoytov, said that Crimea "is shown as Ukrainian territory” on Google maps. The Parliament Speaker, Vyacheslav Volodin, announced that this violates the Russian constitution and suggested calling a Google representative for an explanation. As a result, Google was given a month to correct Crimea’s status on maps.

The internationally recognized Ukrainian territory of 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. In the United Nations, only Afghanistan, North Korea, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Syria recognize Crimea as a legitimate federal subject of Russia.

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