Russia's occupation of Crimea threatens existence of Crimean Tatars — Ukrainian MP

Ukrainian MP Mykola Knyazhytskyi shared his opinions in an interview marking the anniversary of Crimea’s occupation.  

Ukraine must defend its right to Crimea as resolutely as the Crimean Tatars fought to return to their homeland after deportation. If Crimea remains occupied, the Crimean Tatar people could disappear. "The world may turn a blind eye to Crimea if we do not actively fight for its return," he warns.  

The MP recalls that Crimean Tatars were the first to protest on February 26, 2014, when it became clear that Russia was preparing to seize Crimea. The demonstration gathered between 5,000 and 10,000 participants. There could have been many more if the Ukrainian government had created proper conditions for the return of Crimean Tatars back in the 1990s. “If there had been more of them, Crimea might have had a completely different fate,” he notes.  

The MP also draws parallels between the Holodomor and the deportation of the Crimean Tatars, emphasizing that Russia has systematically sought to destroy entire nations. "We are two nations that have survived genocide. We lived together and coexisted on the same land. That is why this issue has always been important to me," he stresses. The Russian Empire has always feared nations that preserved their identity, and the Crimean Tatars are a striking example of this resistance.

The adoption of laws on Crimean Tatar autonomy and the official recognition of the Mejlis as the representative body of the Crimean Tatar people are steps that must be taken immediately, the MP believes.

"If Crimea remains occupied, the Crimean Tatar people could disappear. And that will be our responsibility," Knyazhytskyi emphasizes.

• Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin did not involve discussions on recognizing Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian territories as Russian.