Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday accused Russia of carrying out a “repression” of the Crimean Tatar community, pledging to take back the annexed peninsula, on the occasion of a breaking of the Ramadan fast in Kiev. “Russia’s attempt to subjugate Ukraine…began with the occupation of Crimea, with the crackdowns on the freedom of Crimea, Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars,” he said. he declared in front of Ukrainian Muslim leaders and ambassadors of Muslim countries.
The Tatar community, which represents 12 to 15% of Crimea’s two million inhabitants, largely boycotted the referendum of attachment organized by Moscow in 2014 for its annexation. In the years that followed, Russian authorities banned and labeled “extremist” the Mejlis, the traditional assembly of the Crimean Muslim minority, and imprisoned members of the Tatar community.
“There is no other solution for Ukraine, or for the world, than the de-occupation of Crimea. We will return to Crimea, insisted Mr. Zelensky, before presenting decorations to several Ukrainian soldiers of the Muslim faith. Zelensky, speaking at a mosque near Kiev, announced that Ukraine was starting a new tradition by hosting an official iftar, the meal for breaking the daily fast during the month of Ramadan.
“Ukraine is grateful to the Muslims in our country and to all members of the Muslim community around the world who, like us, yearn for peace and protection from evil,” he added. Several Muslim-majority countries, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, have positioned themselves as mediators in the Ukrainian conflict, negotiating the agreement between Kiev and Moscow on grain exports and prisoner exchanges. Russia has a large Muslim minority from regions such as Chechnya and Dagestan, with contingents fighting for the Russian army in Ukraine.
