Latest news with #RefatChubarov
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Crimean Tatar leader advises Russians to urgently leave Crimea: "You might not make it in time"
Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, has strongly advised Russian citizens who are illegally present in temporarily occupied Crimea to leave the peninsula without delay. Source: Chubarov on Telegram Quote: "I am recording this message in Russian on purpose so that it is clear to the citizens of Russia who are illegally present in occupied Crimea. This concerns those who settled in Crimea from 27 February 2014 to the present day. It also concerns those currently in occupied Crimea, so to speak, 'on holiday'. As you are already beginning to realise, the illegally built Kerch Bridge that connects occupied Crimea to the territory of the aggressor country – Russia – will soon be destroyed. And you may find yourselves trapped in a kind of 'pocket'. That is why I strongly recommend you urgently leave the peninsula and go back home to Russia, to the places from which you illegally arrived in occupied Crimea." Details: Chubarov stated his message is not motivated by a desire to protect Russians from the real danger they have willingly exposed themselves to. Quote: "No, the reasons are more prosaic, related to preparations for the liberation of Crimea. If you remain in Crimea by then, Russian generals will inevitably use you as human shields to save their own lives. Believe me, it would not be the first time they have done so. So, citizens of Russia who are illegally in occupied Crimea, do not postpone your departure until tomorrow. You simply might not make it in time." Background: On the morning of 3 June, Ukraine's Security Service (SSU) carried out a special operation that had been in preparation for several months, striking the Crimean Bridge for the third time – this time from underwater. The SSU reported that the explosives with a power of 1,100 kg in TNT equivalent caused significant structural damage at the seabed level. As a result of the explosion, the bridge is now in a critical condition. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Crimean Tatar Mejlis rejects any international recognition of Crimea as Russian, chairman says
The Mejlis, the representative body of the Crimean Tatar people, will reject any international recognition of Russian-occupied Crimea as Russian territory, Refat Chubarov, the body's chairman, said in a statement published on Facebook on April 22. Crimean Tatars are the indigenous people of Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula that has been under Russian occupation since 2014. Chubarov's statement comes amid reports that the recognition of Crimea as Russian territory is being considered as part of a U.S.-backed proposal to end the war in Ukraine. Any move by the U.S. to recognize the peninsula as Russian would mark a break with a decade of bipartisan consensus in Washington and would violate international law. Chubarov said the Mejlis' stance is grounded in international law and aligns fully with Ukrainian legislation. "Crimea is the homeland of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and an integral part of Ukraine. Accordingly, no one can decide the fate of Crimea under any circumstances, except for the Ukrainian state and the Crimean Tatar people," he wrote. Russia illegally annexed Crimea following a sham referendum held under military occupation and without international observers. For resisting Russian occupation, Crimean Tatars have come under harsh repression by the Russian occupation authorities. Crimean Tatars are represented by the Mejlis, a high representative and executive body with 33 members, and the Kurultai, a national congress with 350 delegates. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us Crimean Tatars, historically the majority on the peninsula before Russia's conquest in 1783, have faced widespread persecution under Russian rule. Since 2014, Moscow has used intimidation, religious profiling, and politically motivated terrorism charges to suppress dissent among Crimean Tatars. Many Crimean Tatars have joined Ukraine's Armed Forces since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, with some serving in the volunteer "Crimea" Battalion formed after the 2014 occupation. Ukraine's response to the U.S. proposal is expected at a follow-up meeting in London on April 23. Washington has indicated it may withdraw from ceasefire efforts in the coming days if no progress is made. Ukrainian lawmakers have also opposed the proposal. Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign affairs committee, warned that recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea would have global consequences "much worse than Munich in 1938." Read also: Trump hopes to 'end war' this week. Here's what you need to know We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
