The leader of the Crimean Tatar people, Ukrainian MP Mustafa Dzhemilev, said how many Crimean Tatars are currently protecting Ukraine in the ranks of the Armed Forces.
Two military units of the Crimean Tatars have been created in Ukraine
According to Mustafa Dzhemilev, all Crimean Tatars who, after the seizure of the peninsula, moved to the territory controlled by Ukraine are subject to conscription as citizens of the state. Therefore, they are conscripted based on their place of residence.
In addition, today we have two military units — the Crimean Tatar volunteer sabotage and reconnaissance group under the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and the volunteer battalion named after Noman Chelebidzhikhan, headed by Lenur Islyamov. There are about two thousand Crimean Tatars [serving in the Defence Forces — ed.].
Mustafa Dzhemilev
Leader of the Crimean Tatar people
However, he did not name the exact number of Crimean Tatars killed in the war with the Russian Federation because "immediately in Crimea, the FSB raids on their relatives begin."
Regarding the Crimean Tatars who supported the occupation and went to fight against Ukraine, Dzhemilev assured that compared to the non-Tatar population of Crimea, there are not many of them. According to him, he made such a conclusion by analysing the indicators of losses.
To date, we have received information on only 41 corpses from among the Crimean Tatars who returned in sacks. Of them, 22 persons are prisoners on domestic charges, who were taken to the army under the threat of new terms. Only six people encroached on the big money promised by the occupiers. And the rest of the dead are those who did not manage to avoid mobilisation. But this does not mean that the numbers are limited to this. Because a lot of people are missing.
Ukraine and the world honour the memory of the victims of the Crimean Tatar genocide
On May 18, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy commemorated the victims of the Crimean Tatar genocide. He noted that the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people 80 years ago became one of the worst crimes committed by the Soviet authorities against human life.
According to the president, people were able to return to their native land only after tens of years, but the criminal was never punished and the Soviet regime was not condemned.
Disdain for human life and state violence, which prevailed in the last century, has been revived in our time. Ten years ago, the old evil — the evil of genocide — updated its form and changed its ideological cover but did not change its essence and targets, and it also went against Ukraine, starting with Crimea.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
President of Ukraine
Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine is obliged to respond to Russia's attacks with the resilience of our people, the victory of our state over the evil of occupation, and fair punishment for all Russian war crimes since 2014.
