Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Lilia Hrynevych states that the rights of Ukrainian-speaking residents are violated in the occupied Crimea.

"They completely violate the rights of the Ukrainian-speaking population. And this is nothing more than a manifestation of repressions they are carrying out against the Ukrainian-speaking population and the Crimean Tatars. This is terrible Russian policy, the policy of the aggressor who illegally occupied Ukrainian territory," she said at a briefing after government meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday, responding to a question from journalists about the absence of Ukrainian schools on the territory of Crimea annexed by Russia.

According to the minister, the policy of the Ukrainian Ministry of Education towards the Crimeans is "openness to children." In particular, there are special conditions in Ukraine for the introductory campaign and distance education for residents of the occupied peninsula.

As for the possible introduction of mirror measures against Russian-speaking schools in Ukraine, Hrynevych stated: "Ukraine is not an aggressor! We are not invaders and we respect other national minorities."

The minister stressed that the Russian national minority in Ukraine is subject to the same rules as for other national minorities.