The recent wave of repression by Russian law enforcement agencies against the Crimean Tatars in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (ARC) is the basis for the introduction of new sanctions against Russia, said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

"Last year, I called on the European Union to introduce a sanctions mechanism as a response to the violation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. We will consistently insist that new sanctions should be introduced for this. Therefore, soon, perhaps even today, I will sign these documents. We will again turn to the European Union with a request to impose sanctions against Russia," Kuleba said at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

He added that repressions against Crimean Tatars will also become a topic of discussion at the UN General Assembly. According to the head of the Foreign Ministry, Ukraine on the eve began preparations for communications with the European Union on this issue.

"We are preparing for the discussion at a session in the UN General Assembly of issues on the situation in the temporarily occupied territories. Therefore, the preparation is very carefully carried out. We are preparing facts proving the actions and additional arguments. I am absolutely sure that this event will end successfully for Ukraine and will become another defeat for Russian diplomacy in the international arena in its attempts to justify her aggression against Ukraine," Kuleba said.

As reported, in early hours of February 17, officers of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation came to search the houses of the Crimean Tatars in the occupied Crimea.

According to available information, the men were detained and charged under Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (organizing the activities of a terrorist organization and participating in the activities of such an organization). Similar charges have been brought against the authorities of the occupation administration in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir (Muslim religious organization) cases.

On February 23, a meeting of the UN General Assembly is taking place, during which a report on the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine is to be presented.