Russia: Maps Disputing Moscow's Control Of Crimea Are 'Subservise'

Russia's government extended support to a legislative amendment that would classify maps disputing the country's official "territorial integrity" as punishable extremist materials, the state-owned TASS news agency disclosed, Ron Popeski and Lidia Kelly reported for Reuters.

Photo Insert: Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 - a move rejected by Ukraine and many countries as illegal.

The amendment to Russia's anti-extremism legislation stipulates that "cartographic and other documents and images that dispute the territorial integrity of Russia" will be classified as extremist materials, the agency reported.

Russia's sweepingly ambiguous anti-extremism legislation — it applies to religious organizations, journalists, and their materials, as well as the activity of businesses, among others - has allowed the Kremlin to tighten its grip on opponents.

The new amendment, TASS reports without citing sources, emerged after its authors pointed out that some maps distributed in Russia dispute the "territorial affiliation" of the Crimean Peninsula and the Kuril Islands.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 - a move rejected by Ukraine and many countries as illegal. Ukraine has objected to world maps showing Crimea as part of Russia's territory.

Russia and Japan have not formally ended World War II hostilities because of their standoff over a group of islands just off Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido. The Soviet Union seized those islands - known in Russia as the Kurils and in Japan as the Northern Territories - at the end of the war.

The amendment must be proposed to the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, and after a review go through three readings. It is then sent to the Federation Council, the upper house, and to President Vladimir Putin for signing.

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