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Kremlin's transcript of Putin's remarks in Helsinki redacts admission that Russia was responsible for Crimea's separatist referendum

Source: Meduza

The Kremlin doctored its official transcript of Putin's remarks to journalists, following his meeting on Monday in Helsinki with U.S. President Trump, redacting the word “we” from Putin's statement about the 2014 referendum in Crimea that led to Moscow's annexation of the peninsula: “We believe [we] held the referendum in strict compliance with international law and the UN Charter.”

In video posted on the Kremlin's website, you can still hear Putin use the words “we carried out,” however.

The English-language translation posted by the Kremlin, meanwhile, still reflects what Putin actually said: “We believe that we held a referendum in strict compliance with international law and the UN Charter.”

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