A memorial to the victims of the Crimean Tatar genocide was opened in Kyiv
Volodymyr Zelenskyi/Facebook
A memorial dedicated to the victims of the Crimean Tatar genocide was opened in Kyiv within the framework of the fourth summit of the international Crimean platform.
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, announced this on Facebook.
“Crimea is not just a territory. It is a part of our soul, it is a land where our people lived in peace and harmony with their culture, language, traditions. We are not just fighting for the return of Crimea – we are fighting for the restoration of justice, for the opportunity for everyone a Crimean to return home, to his Crimea, free from Russia and fear.
Today we are opening a Ukrainian national memorial dedicated to the tragedy of the Crimean Tatar people. And one day the same memorial will certainly appear in our free Crimea.” – wrote the president.
The memorial in the capital’s Mir Square is intended to remind of three tragic stages in the history of the Crimean Tatar people: the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Empire in 1783, the Soviet deportation in 1944, and the Russian occupation in 2014.
Photo: Akim Galimov
The opening of the memorial was attended by foreign partners of Ukraine, in particular President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda, prime minister Andrey Plenkovich, Prime Minister of Latvia Evika Silinia, Chairman of the Senate of the Czech Republic Milos Vystrchil, Chairman of the Parliament of Moldova Ihor Grosu. Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev, Ukrainian military personnel and diplomats also joined the event.
“We stand in a special place. Until recently, there was a Chekist square here. In your countries, they know and remember their terrible crimes. The crimes and actions of the Soviet totalitarian system in general. How they killed, tortured, committed forced deportations.
Today we gathered with you to perpetuate the memory of one of the worst tragedies in the history of Ukraine – genocide and deportation. Evil, absolute evil, which was committed by the Soviet authorities, in particular the Chekists themselves, in 1944. And today at this place we are opening a memorial (…) As a symbol of the fact that tyrants and dictators will definitely lose.” – said Zelensky.
As a reminder, this year’s summit of the Crimean Platform will be held on September 11 in Latvia. The Crimean Platform is an international platform designed to create conditions for the liberation of Crimea from Russian occupation.
