On September 9, a briefing was held at the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea/Office of the Crimea Platform for representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations regarding the current situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea, as well as on international activities, in particular the preparations for the Crimea Platform Summit.
Among the attendees were representatives of partner countries — including the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Romania, the Netherlands, Albania, Montenegro, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Argentina, Lithuania, Georgia, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, France, Canada, Norway, Ireland, Bulgaria, Denmark, Austria, Japan, Slovenia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, and others. The event was also attended by representatives of international organizations, including the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the NATO Representation in Ukraine, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, UNHCR, the EU Delegation to Ukraine, UN Women, among others.
The welcoming words were delivered by Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniyenko, First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Sergiy Kyslytsya, and the leader of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Dzhemilev.
In turn, Permanent Representative Olha Kuryshko emphasized that Russia continues to escalate repression in temporarily occupied Crimea, allocating more and more resources to the destruction of Ukrainian identity and the suppression of any manifestations of resistance. She reminded that the occupation authorities not only persecute activists, journalists, and representatives of Ukraine’s indigenous peoples, but also fabricate new charges, expanding the scope of unlawful prosecutions. She drew particular attention to the overcrowding of pre-trial detention centers with illegally detained Ukrainian citizens and Russia’s plans to build new prisons. In this context, she highlighted the importance of the Advocacy Mentorship Program, which allows European politicians and public figures to take specific Kremlin prisoners under public patronage.
The Permanent Representative also emphasized the importance of maintaining and further strengthening sanctions pressure against Russia and expressed gratitude to international partners for their active support. She noted that the international recognition of the 1944 deportation of the Crimean Tatar people as an act of genocide is both a step toward restoring historical justice and a tool to counter ongoing repressions on the peninsula.
“Russia is investing more and more resources in destroying Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identity. The Ukrainian Church is being destroyed, cultural artifacts are being removed and stolen, and the environment is being systematically devastated. Today, Russia is doing everything possible to keep the world from knowing the full scale of its crimes,” the Permanent Representative stressed.
Ihor Zhovkva emphasized that the Crimea Platform remains a key international venue bringing together states and organizations to defend human rights and counter Russian disinformation. He underlined the humanitarian dimension of the upcoming Summit, which must demonstrate that the world does not ignore unlawful verdicts, the abduction of Ukrainian children, or the repressions against the Crimean Tatar people.
Sergiy Kyslytsya pointed to the symbolism of the Yalta Conference of Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin, which took place on land paved with the bones of Crimean Tatars deported by the Soviet regime. He stressed the continuity of Moscow’s imperial practices — from the Soviet occupation of Crimea to today’s aggression — and recalled UN General Assembly resolutions that reaffirm: the international community will never accept attempts to legitimize the occupation of the peninsula.
Oleksandr Korniyenko emphasized the need to support political prisoners, in particular by providing them with assistance, and added that Ukraine is tirelessly working for their release. The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine mentioned the youngest political prisoner, Appaz Kurtamet.
“We have not forgotten Crimea and we will fight for its deoccupation. The Crimea Platform reminds the whole world about this. We are working to strengthen sanctions, free political prisoners, and ensure recognition of the Crimean Tatars’ deportation as genocide,” Oleksandr Korniyenko stressed.
Mustafa Dzhemilev noted that Ukraine must not sacrifice either its territories or its citizens, and that concessions contrary to the norms of international law will be regarded as aiding the aggressor.
“Today Russia has turned Crimea into a military base and is carrying out the ethnic destruction of the Crimean Tatars: the indigenous people are facing the most large-scale oppression, being forced out through repressions, while Russians are being encouraged to settle there. If Crimea is not liberated, the very existence of the Crimean Tatar people will be under threat. For us, this is not only a matter of territorial integrity, but also of survival,” Mustafa Dzhemilev stated.
After the welcoming words, the audience heard from Daria Fursova, a native of Simferopol and a student of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She shared that in occupied Crimea, children and youth are deprived of the right to choose and are forced to study under Russian curricula, as the information space is artificially restricted and they are compelled to be “the pride of Russia.” She emphasized that Ukraine must more loudly declare its support for these children — by creating opportunities for education, employment, and integration in a free society, since it is also about moral support and a sense of belonging to Ukraine. Daria stressed that people believe in Ukraine’s return and in the restoration of justice, reminding that it is unacceptable to agree to any “territorial exchange” ideas, because the main value is the people — for whose sake the truth about Crimea must be persistently conveyed to the entire world.
A briefing then took place with the participation of Refat Chubarov, Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People; Vitaliy Sekretar, First Deputy Head of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol; Sheikh Ayder Rustemov, Mufti of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea; Sheikh Murat Suleymanov, Mufti of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine “Umma”; and Oleksandra Dvoretska, Head of Policy for the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
During the briefing, speakers focused on systemic human rights violations in occupied Crimea: increasing pressure and repression against Ukrainian citizens for expressing pro-Ukrainian views, the militarization of children and youth, the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children, and restrictions on freedom of religion. They emphasized Russia’s attempts to destroy Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identity, manifested in the destruction of cultural heritage and the suppression of national memory.
The participants also examined violations of international humanitarian law, in particular forced passportization, illegal mobilization, persecution of journalists, and human rights defenders. The international dimension was also discussed — planned programs and initiatives aimed at consolidating the international community around the issue of Crimea’s deoccupation and increasing pressure on Russia through international institutions.
In addition, exhibitions were presented on the grounds of the Office of the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crime. One of them was dedicated to the scale of destruction of religious sites and cultural heritage monuments in occupied Crimea and in other cities on mainland Ukraine. The exposition highlighted the environmental consequences of Russia’s actions and the destruction of cultural and religious heritage caused both by the occupying power in Crimea and by missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. Another exhibition, Dichotomy by Elmira Shemsedinova and Renata Asanova, showcased the works of two Crimean Tatar artists.
The Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea expresses its gratitude to international partners and organizations for their participation in the briefing and for their continued support in conveying the truth about the situation in Crimea, as well as for their solidarity with the citizens of Ukraine living under occupation.
The event was held with the support of the «Partnership Fund For A Resilient Ukraine».