A geography textbook apparently published by the Oxford University Press has mentioned Crimea as a part of Russia, angering Ukraine, whose embassy to the United Kingdom has shot off a letter to the institution.
Western nations have accused Russia of forcefully annexing Crimea from Ukraine last year, while the Putin government maintains that 96% of the residents voted to be part of the country in a referendum held last March.
In the letter to the Oxford University Press, the Ukrainian embassy to the UK states that "Crimea was brutally annexed with Russian boots on the ground".
The reference to Crimea as a part of Russia was reportedly printed in the fourth edition of the Oxford Geography textbook for Key Stage 3, which comprises students from 11 to 14 years of age, and was published in June.
"While referring to the so-called referendum held in Crimea by the Russian occupants, the textbook fails to mention that it was held under the barrel of Russian guns," the embassy letter says.
The Ukraine embassy also reminds the institution that the UK government had "condemned the referendum as illegal". It called for the mistake to be corrected and the books to be updated immediately.
The embassy also posted a copy of the letter and the purported page from the Oxford textbook on its official Twitter account earlier this week.
Oxford textbook misleads students. Embassy's letter urging @OUPAcademic to correct mistakes #CrimeaIsUkraine pic.twitter.com/DhwXlqWdG5
— Ukraine's Emb. to UK (@UkrEmbLondon) October 13, 2015
Oxford University Press has said in a statement shared with IBTimes India that it will change the wording on Crimea and will also include the UN position.
"All of the information in our atlases and geographical resources are developed through detailed research into the political, social and economic situation at the time of publication. We continuously review all of our materials to reflect changes in circumstance and feedback from various sources. We will be changing the wording used on this matter and will also include the UN position," the Oxford University Press said in the statement.
According to the Russian media, the French Larousse press also recently published an atlas edition showing Crimea as part of Russia in a map.
