In Crimea, russia’s FSB has reportedly issued warnings to activists ahead of the 80th anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people

russia has initiated a crackdown on activists as the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People approaches.

Tamila Tasheva, the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea made these remarks during a discussion at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform.

“Today, we’re celebrating Vyshyvanka Day, (a holiday dedicated to preserving the iconic traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt – Ed.), but looming ahead is the solemn remembrance of the 80th anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people. Already, persecution of activists has kicked off on the peninsula. The russia’s Federal Security Service is issuing what they dub as warnings to them. This pattern is nothing new – it happened last year, the year before, and for the past decade, activists have been cautioned against organizing any public events on the peninsula. While today is about celebrating Vyshyvanka Day, it’s crucial to recognize that the focus is truly on commemorating the 80th anniversary of the deportation,” remarked Tamila Tasheva.

She highlighted russia’s attempts to portray the peninsula as devoid of any activity and to erase the presence of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians. Despite these efforts, she stressed that russia is facing significant resistance in the region.

It’s important to recall that on May 18, 1944, Stalin ordered the deportation of Crimean Tatars from Crimea to Central Asia, with approximately 200 thousand people forced into freight cars. The deportation resulted in countless casualties, with innocent lives lost in the death trains and special settlements, leading to the eradication of entire families and the deprivation of a nation’s homeland within days.

Every year on May 18th, the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Crimean Tatar Genocide is observed, marking the anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people in 1944. This commemoration was established on November 12, 2015, through a resolution passed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Additionally, the Ukrainian Parliament officially acknowledged the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people from Crimea as an act of genocide within the same resolution.

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