On the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous People, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry once again pointed out Russia's systematic violations of the rights of the indigenous peoples in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.

"On the day when the global society pays its respects to the contribution of indigenous peoples in the development of the global civilization, the indigenous peoples of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea have to oppose the lawlessness of Russian occupation authorities. Deprived of the right to live in their historic homeland, indigenous peoples of occupied Crimea are subject to ever growing pressure from the Russian repression machine," reads the statement of Ukrainian Foreign Ministry posted on Sunday.

According to the ministry, the Russian occupation authorities obnoxiously ignore fundamental rights of the Crimean Tatar people who over 70 years ago already survived forced deportation.

"The cases of limitations of freedom of religion and gathering have become systematic, as well as the pressure on representatives of the indigenous peoples, particularly the Crimean Tatars to make them refuse Ukrainian citizenship, as well as the cases of suppressing their ethnic identity. Victimization of Crimean Tatar media and journalists has become stronger," reads the statement.

The ministry also reminded that Crimean Tatar leaders, whose opinion is respected globally, are banned from entering Crimea, and "illegal arrests and murders of Crimean Tatar activists go on."

"Russia must stop Crimea's occupation, glaring violations of major human rights and freedoms, driving peninsula's indigenous peoples away," reads the statement.