Russian occupation makes 35,000 people flee Crimea; repressions to increase their number – Chubarov

14:51, 19.02.2016 1 min read

About 35,000 people have fled Crimea after Russian occupation; further repressions against opponents of the annexation of the peninsula by Russia will increase their number, head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, MP Refat Chubarov has said.

"The unofficial figure is about 35,000 people, and half of them are Crimean Tatars," Chubarov said at a press conference in Kyiv on Wednesday.

In his words there was no exact number of those who have left Crimea. Human rights activists estimated it to be around 25,000-30,000 people, while figures of official statistics include only those who have turned to the authorities for registration.

According to Chubarov, the Mejlis believes that "no one of the Crimean Tatars should leave [Crimea] unless he or she is ousted or imprisoned."

Repressions against individuals of different nationalities who disagree with the Russian occupation are continuing and will continue, he said.

"They will be just ousted and replaced with those to be brought from Russia's mainland," Chubarov added.