On the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to condemn Russia’s repressive and discriminatory policy toward the Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine.
According to Ukrinform, this was stated in a comment on the website of the Foreign Ministry.
The Foreign Ministry noted that Ukraine reaffirms its commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms, as enshrined, in particular, in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and guarantees the preservation and development of their ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious identity on its territory, under the Law “On the Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine” adopted in 2021.
“The indigenous peoples of Ukraine — Crimean Tatars, Karaites, and Krymchaks — are an integral part of our history, culture, and contemporary life. Today, all three indigenous peoples of Ukraine suffer from the consequences of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, in particular in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,” the Ministry stated.
The Foreign Ministry emphasized that Crimean Tatars are subjected to mass repression, including arrests, torture, politically motivated sentences, the ongoing ban on the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, restrictions on the right to use their native language, and searches in schools, mosques, and homes.
The Karaites and Krymchaks, small but unique Indigenous Peoples, are virtually disappearing from the cultural space of the occupied peninsula, the Ministry noted.
“Russia pursues a policy of forced assimilation, which is effectively leading to the destruction of the autochthonous environment in the temporarily occupied peninsula. Mass relocation of Russian nationals to Crimea takes place alongside the displacement of the indigenous population from their native land, the destruction of historical monuments and sacred sites, as well as changes to the linguistic environment,” the statement said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it will continue to draw the international community’s attention to Russia’s systematic violations of the rights of Ukraine’s Indigenous Peoples and will initiate appropriate political and legal steps at the global level, in particular on the platforms of international organizations, including the UN, the OSCE, and the Council of Europe.
The Ministry recalled the re-election in April this year of Ukraine’s representative Suleiman Mamutov to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) for 2026-2028 as evidence of Ukraine’s active work in this area. They also noted that one of the key international instruments for the protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine is the International Crimea Platform.
The Ministry added that Ukraine calls on the international community to condemn the repressive and discriminatory policies of the Russian Federation toward the Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine; to support relevant international initiatives, including within the framework of the UN; to promote the protection of the cultural, linguistic, and spiritual heritage of the Indigenous Peoples of Crimea; and to seek legal consequences for the occupying state.
“On this day, Ukraine expresses solidarity with all indigenous peoples who continue to fight for their rights, especially under conditions of war, occupation, and persecution. Protecting the rights of indigenous peoples is the foundation of a just peace and international security,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
According to Ukrinform, every year on August 9, Ukraine, together with the entire world community, celebrates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
