ukraine demands that Russia return 50 residents of the Sumy region deported by the occupiers, as well as thousands of other Ukrainian citizens deported to the Russian Federation, said Foreign Minister Andrei Sibiga.
“We have a clear and principled position: all illegally deported Ukrainian citizens must return to Ukraine,” Sibiga said during a briefing on Friday,december 21.
He noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working to establish the fate of all deported Ukrainians and is taking all possible measures to ensure their return home.
Sibiga also emphasized that the deportation of Ukrainian citizens is a war crime and a violation of international law. He called on the international community to condemn Russia’s actions and to increase pressure on the aggressor country to ensure the release of all illegally detained and deported Ukrainians.
According to Sibiga,the occupiers are deporting Ukrainian citizens,including children,to remote regions of Russia,deliberately cutting them off from their homeland and families.
“This is a cynical attempt to change the demographic situation in the occupied territories and to suppress the Ukrainian identity,” the minister said.
He added that Ukraine is cooperating with international organizations, such as the International Commitee of the Red Cross and the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission, to document the facts of deportation and to facilitate the return of Ukrainian citizens.
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