Ukraine appeals to UN Secretary-General over Russia's repressions in occupied Crimea

This is stated in the official letter of Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya.

"The Russian occupation administration in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, continues its artificial campaign of coercive passportization which is part of the aggressor state's repressive policy towards Ukrainian citizens who are forced to live under the occupation," the letter reads.

It is emphasized that forcing the residents of the peninsula to get Russian citizenship is "a deliberate and cynical element of systematic pressure on the citizens of Ukraine." If Crimean residents refuse to obtain Russian passports, they are artificially restricted in their rights to employment, medical care, social and pension benefits, and the right to own their property.

"The absence of a Russian passport often leads to forced deportation and a ban on entering the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol," the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN emphasizes.

As noted, Ukraine remains determined to protect the rights and interests of its citizens living in the temporarily occupied Crimea. At the same time, the Ukrainian side appealed to the UN Secretary-General to respond appropriately to Russia's violation of international law.

"We hope that consistent attention to these illegal actions of the Russian Federation and their negative consequences for the enforcement of the rights of residents of the temporarily occupied peninsula will be presented along with relevant recommendations in your specialized thematic reports on Crimea in accordance with the UN General Assembly resolutions," says the letter to the UN Secretary-General.

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