Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov has said that Russia's refusal to release the people illegally detained in Crimea and the Donbas is the ground for toughening international sanctions against the Russian Federation.

In this way he commented on the searches and detentions of five people in Crimea, including First Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Nariman Dzhelyal, the press service of the for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories said.

"We call on the international community to use its influence on the Kremlin to immediately release all Ukrainian prisoners captured both in Crimea and in CADLR [certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine]. Russia's refusal to free the captured people is a ground to toughen international sanctions," Reznikov said.

The minister noted the "sky-high cynicism" of the detentions taking place in Crimea.

"The next seizures took place after the publication of the report of the UN Secretary-General on the Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. It points out to the crimes of the Russian Federation and systemic pressure on Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars. Nariman Dzhelyal was a participant in the Crimea Platform Summit. Searches and detentions are a direct response to the UN and the entire international community that Russia will continue ignoring and violating international law. This is a slap in the face to all who has declared the need to protect human rights and support Ukraine. The question arises – how can such a state be in the UN Security Council in the future? What arguments can those who invite Russia to PACE have?" Reznikov said.

The minister said that all those involved in the crimes will be identified and "sooner or later punished."

At the same time, he recalled that on August 18, 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved two packages of sanctions against judges of the Russian Federation and other officials directly involved in the persecution of the civilian population in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. The drafts of the relevant documents were prepared by the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories together with the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and representatives of the public.