Evil of genocide goes against Ukraine, starting from Crimea - Zelenskyy on 80th anniversary of Crimean Tatars deportation
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the 80th anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatars, emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s victory “over the evil of occupation” and the “justice of punishment” for all Russian crimes.
“Eighty years ago, one of the most terrible crimes against human life was committed: the Soviet government deported the Crimean Tatar people. Both children and adults - everyone. In several days. Ruthlessly. To a foreign land. To the accompaniment of lies. The exact number of deaths is still unknown - the Crimean Tatar people lost at least a third from this deportation. And people were able to return home only after decades,” the president wrote on Telegram on Saturday.
Zelenskyy stressed that “the criminal was not punished, the regime was not convicted.”
“The disregard for human life and state violence that reigned in the last century have been revived in our time. Ten years ago, the old evil - the evil of genocide - updated its form, changed its ideological cover, but did not change its essence and targets and also went against Ukraine, starting with Crimea,” the president noted.
“Our common historical duty is to respond to Russia’s blows with the resilience of our people, the victory of our state over the evil of occupation and fair punishment for all Russian crimes of this war, starting in 2014. By now defending Ukraine, our people and the truth about what happened on our land, we honor the memory of all whose lives were destroyed and affirm the strength of humanity - strength for our subsequent generations,” Zelenskyy said.
