President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for the release of all illegally detained Ukrainian citizens, including Crimean political prisoners.

During the opening of the Age of Crimea 2020 forum in Kyiv, the Head of State reminded that Ukraine had already managed to return many of our citizens, including Crimean political prisoners Edem Bekirov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, Volodymyr Balukh and Oleg Sentsov. The latter, after his release, gave the President a tin he had in the Russian penal colony. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Oleg Sentsov agreed to fill it with tags of liberated Ukrainians.

“We managed to bring home 111 citizens. I’m an optimist, but I think the tin is half empty. That is why every day we do our utmost to free each of our people and believe that this tin will be completely full soon,” the President said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy stresses that the government works for the sake of the future, but does not forget about our past.

“We remember the names of the first victims from Crimea: Reshat Ametov, Serhiy Kokurin and Stanislav Karachevsky. Abducted Tymur Shaimardanov and Erwin Ibrahimov. Journalist Mykola Semen who, fortunately, is already in Kyiv. Human rights defender Server Mustafayev who, unfortunately, is still in captivity,” he said.