The Mission hosted a meeting with the Chief Foreign Correspondent of the British newspaper The Sunday Times, a prominent journalist who covers human stories during wars on different continents, writer and co-author of the book “I am Malala” Christina Lamb.
Ms. Lamb spoke with the Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva and also met with the Director of the Human Rights House “Crimea” Andriy Zubarev, the case manager of the Protection Program of the Human Rights House “Crimea” Natalia Kuzmanenko and the Deputy Head of the NGO “Crimean Human Rights Group” Volodymyr Chekrygin.
Tamila Tasheva spoke about her personal history and the activities of the Mission, in particular about the development of the state’s first steps in Crimea after de-occupation, which is being worked on by an interdepartmental working group on behalf of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Andriy Zubarev, Natalia Kuzmanenko and Volodymyr Chekryhin told Christina Lamb about Iryna Danilovych, illegally imprisoned by the occupiers in Crimea, about her abduction, interrogations, criminal sentence, health and hunger strike.
Ms. Lamb was actively interested in the situation in the occupied Crimea, in particular, in the reaction of Ukrainians to the beginning of the occupation and proposals to “give up Crimea”.
Volodymyr Chekrygin told Christine Lamb about the crimes of occupation, in particular, the total militarization of both the peninsula and the local population: “The occupiers are not just using anti-Ukrainian propaganda to influence the minds of children – they are preparing them to be Russian soldiers from an early age.”
“Yes, unfortunately, there are many victims on the mainland of Ukraine due to the full-scale invasion. But it is worth remembering that everyone in Crimea is a victim. They are all victims of the occupation,” added Natalia Kuzmanenko.
The British correspondent also asked the experts about the abduction of Ukrainian children and their deportation to the territory of the Russian Federation with subsequent illegal adoption.
Ms. Lamb will stay in Ukraine for several weeks, which she will devote to traveling to the frontline regions.