Zelensky honors memory of victims of deportation of Crimean Tatar people
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska honored the memory of the victims of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people and reminded that Russia’s current war began with Crimea, where the aggressor state is once again trying to deprive the Crimean Tatar people of their home.
The head of state announced this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.
“Today, we remember and honor the memory of all the victims of one of the most brutal crimes of the Soviet regime – the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people. A deportation that became an act of obvious genocide against the Crimean Tatar people. The year 1944 will forever remain in history as an attempt to destroy a nation – when young and old alike were thrown out of their homes and sent into an alien land. A significant part of the people died on the way, and many did not survive in the places of exile – at least one third, and that may be a very conservative estimate,” Zelensky said.
He stressed that no people deserve such a fate. At the same time, Russia did not stop after what it had already done and launched a new war against Ukraine beginning with Crimea.
“And beyond that, Russia has not stopped at what it has already done – it launched a new war against Ukraine from none other than Crimea, once again trying to deprive the Crimean Tatar people, and all of us, all Ukrainians, of our home. We are defending ourselves against this, and as long as we stand together and help one another, we will stand our ground,” the President emphasized.
As reported by Ukrinform, on May 18, Ukraine marks the Day of Struggle for the Rights of the Crimean Tatar People and honors the memory of the victims of the genocide of the Crimean Tatars on the 82nd anniversary of their mass deportation.
The deportation of the Crimean Tatars began at 3:00 on May 18, 1944, and continued until early June. The official basis for the deportation was the secret resolution of the State Defense Committee No. 5859 “On the Crimean Tatars” dated May 11, 1944, which accused Crimean Tatars of alleged mass treason and widespread collaboration during the Nazi occupation of Crimea. According to official data, 183,144 people were deported. Crimean Tatar sources estimate the number at more than 400,000, of whom around 46% died within a year and a half.