The lack of international attention to the actions of the russian occupiers in Crimea led to the spread of these negative practices in the rest of the occupied territories – Alina Frolova

This year, representatives of 15 countries have taken part in the International Forum of the International Crimea Platform Expert Network, indicating a high level of interest in the topic of Crimea and the Black Sea.

Alina Frolova, Security Track Coordinator of the Crimea Platform Expert Network, Deputy Head of the Center for Defence Strategies, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine (2019-2020), made this statement during the opening of the Forum.

“For a very long time we had to prove that Crimea is on the world map, that it is Ukraine and that it requires considerable attention. The full-scale invasion demonstrated that the international community’s lack of attention to human rights violations and all the illegal actions of the occupying power in Crimea led to the spread of these negative practices by the russians in other territories they have occupied or are attempting to occupy,” she said.

Alina Frolova pointed out that the struggle for the freedom and independence of Ukraine is a long marathon, requiring sustained effort to ensure that the topics of Crimea and the Black and Azov Seas remain on the agenda: “Now is the time for us to think about how the world order will be set up, as well as the order in Ukraine, after the victory.”

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