The article below is published by Ukraine Today

The Crimean Tatars must be protected from discrimination and persecution of Russian occupation authorities. This is according to the statement of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs published on the official site of the institution. "We urge the international community to condemn the deeds of self-proclaimed Russian authorities in Crimea that are violating the human rights of the indigenous population of the peninsula. 70 years ago the Crimean Tatars were forcibly deported from their homes, and this tragedy must not occur now, "stressed in the document.

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims Russian occupation authorities persecute both Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians on the national and political basis. Ukraine is set to further demand to return the territory of annexed Crimea under Ukrainian jurisdiction, stress the officials. The also add Kyiv urgently calls upon its partners to strengthen diplomatic and political pressure to force Russia away from the occupied peninsula.

Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014. Ukrainian Parliament of Verkhovna Rada announced February 20th, 2014 the beginning of Russian occupation of the peninsula. Moscow claims not to have violated international law since they conducted a so-called referendum on Crimea joining the Russian Federation. In view of illegal annexation of Ukrainian sovereign territories the E.U., the U.S.A., Canada, Australia, and Japan imposed a range of personal and sectoral economic sanctions, the latter aimed mainly at bank, oil, financial, and defence industry branches.

Photo Courtesy of Ukraine Today