“Putin's aggression against Crimea is a threat to the whole civilization” — Mustafa Dzhemilev

In an interview on Mykola Kniazhytskyi's YouTube channel, Mustafa Dzhemilev stated that Crimean Tatars cannot accept Crimea's occupation, as it represents the loss of their identity. 

 “For the Crimean Tatars, leaving Crimea under occupation would mean the end of their people. Many would emigrate – already, as of today, 30,000 Crimean Tatars have left… Those who remain, particularly the younger generation, risk gradual Russification, leading to the loss of their national identity,” he said.

Dzhemilev emphasized that the issue of Crimea concerns not only the Crimean Tatars, but also the entire international community. “It’s about accepting this kind of international banditry and standing by to witness it. The rationale of ‘this is a powerful country, so let us agree to avoid escalating the war’ delivers a devastating blow to the global order… Overall, it would be a huge defeat for the civilized world in the face of barbarism. No country, no people would have any guarantees,” he added.

The leader of the Crimean Tatars also drew attention to the fact that Russia's actions jeopardize the stability of the whole world. “This leads directly to an arms race and the proliferation of nuclear weapons… In essence, international institutions are failing. In my view, this is humanity's greatest tragedy,” said Dzhemilev.

He emphasized that Crimean Tatars continue to fight for their right to live on their native land, but staying under occupation means submitting to repression. “Not bowing your head comes with great risks. In general, even staying silent can be dangerous. I observe businessmen, and simply staying out of politics and focusing on your work is not enough to avoid trouble. You are expected to take the microphone and proclaim how fortunate we are to be under occupation,” Dzhemilev said about the situation on the peninsula.

Mustafa Dzhemilev also shared his vision for Russia's future, stating, "Without external control, Russia will not be able to abandon its imperial ideology. Change is only possible after the defeat of this regime, much like it was with Germany after World War II," he concluded.

Dzhemilev believes in the victory of Ukraine and the Crimean Tatars in the struggle for their rights. He emphasized that the time of Putin's regime “is no longer measured in years but in months”.

Background. Mustafa Dzhemilev is the leader of the Crimean Tatar people, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, a Soviet dissident, and a former political prisoner. He is a symbol of the fight for human rights and the national identity of the Crimean Tatars, who were deported from Crimea by Soviet authorities in 1944. 

Dzhemilev dedicated his life to defending the rights of his people, enduring seven arrests and years of imprisonment for his human rights activism. His hunger strike in prison, which lasted 303 days, became a powerful protest that drew international attention to the oppression of the Crimean Tatars.

Following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, Mustafa Dzhemilev became one of the leading global voices calling for the de-occupation of the peninsula. Russian authorities banned him from entering Crimea, but this did not halt his struggle. He stresses that the annexation of Crimea poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to the global order. Dzhemilev continues to serve as a member of the Ukrainian parliament and an international human rights activist, fighting for the rights of the Crimean Tatars and highlighting Russia's crimes against Ukraine.