PM Shmyhal: Crimean Tatars made significant contribution to destruction of Soviet evil empire

"Today we remember with pain and sorrow the crimes against the indigenous people of Crimea as the Soviet authorities deported almost 200,000 Crimean Tatars from the peninsula on trumped-up charges in 1944. Most of them were women and children. During the first two years of exile, almost half of the deportees died of starvation and disease. Cruel trials did not break this freedom-loving nation," Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal posted on Facebook.

He noted that the Crimean Tatars had made a significant contribution to the destruction of the Soviet evil empire and had returned home after decades of exile.

"But exactly 70 years after those horrific events, the Moscow authorities, having annexed Crimea, began to return to Stalinist methods: almost 35,000 Crimean Tatars were forced to leave their homes again because of persecution, violence, arrests," he added.

Shmyhal believes that this exile would eventually end up in the victory of the Crimean Tatar people and that historical justice would be restored with the Ukrainian state playing a key role in that.

"Honoring the memory of victims of injustice is our moral duty, because justice is a value for everyone. We will always remember the tragedy of May 18, the fate of the Crimean Tatars, who survived and won. And we all will win," the Head of Government added.

On May 18, Ukraine honors the victims of deportation of the Crimean Tatar people and marks the Day of Struggle for the Rights of the Crimean Tatar People.

The deportation of the Crimean Tatars began at 03:00 on May 18, 1944 and lasted until the beginning of June.

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