Türkiye reaffirms its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine on the ninth anniversary of Russia’s occupation in Crimea, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

"Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea was annexed by Russia with an illegitimate referendum in violation of international law nine years ago today (on March 16). Due to the anniversary of the incident, we reiterate that Türkiye does not recognize Russia’s annexation of Crimea," the ministry said.

"The situation of Crimean Tatar Turks, the Indigenous people of Crimea, is always a priority for us. Türkiye will continue providing every support to fellow Turks of Crimean Tatar origin in order to ensure they live in peace and safety in their ancestral homeland by preserving their identity," the ministry added.

Russian forces entered the Crimean Peninsula in February 2014, with President Vladimir Putin formally dividing the region into two separate federal subjects of the Russian Federation the following month and turning it into a large military base by deploying weapon systems as well as 150,000 soldiers.

Since that time, Crimea's ethnic Tatars have faced persecution – a situation especially decried by Türkiye.

Türkiye, the European Union and the United States, as well as the U.N. General Assembly, view Crimea's annexation as illegal, which many observers call a prelude to Russia’s current war on Ukraine.

Since Moscow expanded its invasion into a full-blown war in broader Ukraine in February 2022, Kyiv’s forces continue battling Russian forces across the country’s eastern flank with no settlement in sight.

The Crimean platform was established in October 2020 as part of Ukraine's strategy to clear Crimea of Russian forces.