Elizabeth Rosenstock-Siller, the acting deputy head of the US mission to the OSCE, said that the Russian Federation, despite the fact that it announced a reduction in its forces along the border with Ukraine, has recently transferred elements of airborne assault aircraft to Crimea. She called on Russia to immediately end the militarization and occupation of Crimea.
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“We remain deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Crimea, where Crimean Tatars, ethnic Ukrainians and other ethnic and religious minorities have been suffering at the hands of Russia's occupying authorities for more than seven years. As part of our broader efforts to destabilize Ukraine and undermine regional security Russia has been involved in a multi-year military build-up in Crimea. Despite the fact that Russia announced a reduction in its forces along the border with Ukraine, Russia recently transferred elements of air assault aircraft to Crimea”,- the statement said.
Elizabeth Rosenstock-Siller also stressed that Russia continues to recruit thousands of young Crimean residents into its armed forces, some of whom have been transferred to Russian military units tasked with carrying out the Kremlin's plans in the Donbas.
“We call on Russia to end repression in Crimea and release all Ukrainian political prisoners it is holding. We also call on Russia to end the militarization and occupation of Crimea and withdraw all its forces and equipment from eastern Ukraine”,- she added.