During the 11 years of occupation, the Russian Federation has resettled over 1 million of its citizens to Crimea

The head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Refat Chubarov, said that since the occupation of Crimea by Russian troops, they have resettled over 1 million of their citizens to the peninsula.

“In order to fully consolidate themselves in Crimea, turning it into a military fortress from where the Russians spread their aggression to foreign lands, they must fully control Crimean society. And there are hundreds of thousands of people there who do not accept Russians and remain loyal to the Ukrainian state. These are Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians,” Chubarov said.

According to him, in order to suppress these people, the Russian Federation is carrying out repressions and persecutions against them. Currently, there are 225 Russian political prisoners, two-thirds of whom are Crimean Tatars.

“These are our people who are being sentenced to long terms of imprisonment, accused of terrorism, sabotage, and alleged encroachment on the territorial integrity and integrity of Russia. The most unacceptable thing is that they have turned Crimea into a military base from which they attack the mainland of Ukraine with missiles and drones. As long as they hold Crimea, they will use it for constant attacks. Therefore, Crimea must be liberated,” the head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people emphasized.

He emphasized that Russia’s imperial policy over the centuries has never been hidden and has been to conquer Crimea, destroy the statehood of the Crimean Tatars, colonize the Crimean peninsula as much as possible, and then use it as a springboard for its further aggression.

He added that today the goal of the Russian troops is the same as it was during the time of Catherine II and Stalin – to consolidate.