Official Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the statement who moved to Ukraine former deputies of the state Duma Denis Boronenkov and Maria Maksakova on compulsory voting for the accession of Crimea to Russia. His words on Friday, February 17, the correspondent “Tapes.ru”.
“No, I can’t agree with such statements. Witnessed almost all processes, it was not like telling the former deputies”, — said Peskov.
When asked about the position of assistant to the President Vladislav Surkov, Peskov said that he advocated the annexation of the Peninsula. “I do not know that someone acted against,” he added.
Boronenkov, moved to Kiev and received in December of last year the Ukrainian citizenship, in numerous interviews said that many Russian MPs spoke out against the annexation of Crimea. According to him, the dissenters were at least 40 people.
Spouse Boronenkov, the Russian Opera singer Maria Maksakova, stated that she did not vote for the annexation of the Peninsula, because they were on vacation in another country. Maksakova also moved to Kiev last autumn.
In March 2014 in the Crimea held a referendum, the results of which the Supreme Council declared the Peninsula an independent, sovereign state and appealed to the Russian Federation with the offer on acceptance of the Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on recognition of independence of the Republic of Crimea and approved the draft Treaty on accession of the Peninsula.
On 20 March, the agreement was ratified by the State Duma: 445 MPs voted in favor, no abstentions, votes “against” one Deputy, Ilya Ponomarev.