Russia wants to legalize demographic change by census in Crimea
Ukraine condemns Russia’s intention to conduct a census in the temporarily occupied Crimea, stressing that in this way Moscow seeks to legitimize demographic change on the peninsula.
According to a Ukrinform correspondent, this is evidenced by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to international organizations in Vienna Yevhen Tsymbalyuk during the OSCE Permanent Council.
“Ukraine is in a situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea. We intend to legalize demographic changes on the peninsula by conducting an all-Russian census in the temporarily occupied territory. Again, we are acting against Ukraine’s confidence,” he said.
The Ukrainian diplomat showed that according to UN General Assembly resolution 68/262, the so-called “referendum” on the Crimean peninsula, held by the Russian occupation administration on March 16, 2014, is invalid. And it cannot be the basis for any change of the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea or Sevastopol, including for carrying out census.
“Unfortunately, all of Russia’s legitimization forces are accompanied by horrific repression against independent individuals and dissidents. This used torture, inhuman and degrading treatment,” Tsymbalyuk said.
As Ukrinform reported, the Foreign Ministry states that Ukraine is announcing an all-Russian census of the Russian Federation on the territory of the occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.