Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Primate of the OCU Epiphanius called on the international community to increase diplomatic, economic and sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation in order to give hope to those who suffer in the occupied Crimea to return to a truly peaceful and legally protected life. This was reported via Epiphanius’ Facebook page.
In his statement, Epiphanius recalled two tragic events that took place in the occupied Crimea: the demand for the demolition of the Ukrainian Orthodox church in Yevpatoria and the death of the son of the Crimean Tatar political prisoner Ruslan Suleymanov illegally arrested by the invaders.
“Unreasonable searches, intimidation, arrests, torture, trumped-up charges and illegal imprisonment against everyone whom the Russian authorities consider not loyal have, unfortunately, become commonplace for the seventh year in a row in the occupied Crimea. And these two sad, tragic news again remind us that Crimea should be liberated from occupation”,- the message says.
Epiphanius believes that only further influence on the aggressor – diplomatic, economic, security, maintenance and strengthening of the sanctions regime, can give hope to those who suffer in the occupation to return in the future to a truly peaceful, legally protected, free and dignified life.