President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky celebrated today the 80th anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatars from The Soviet Union and made a comparison with the Russian occupation of Crimea, reported DPA, quoted by BTA.
„Today, when we honor the memory of the victims of the deportation of the Crimean Tatars and condemn the Russian abuse of Crimea, we feel that Russian evil is not and will not be all-powerful," Zelensky said in his evening video address.
On May 18, 1944, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin ordered the Crimean Tatars deported to Central Asia in present-day Uzbekistan for their collaboration with the Wehrmacht and the German occupation forces.
They were only allowed to return after 1989 and today the Crimean Tatars claim that their human rights are being neglected by the Russian occupation forces.
"The time of the occupier of our land is limited and his expulsion is inevitable," Zelensky said.
Russia's occupation of Crimea in 2014 was a test of resolve for the world, Zelensky said. "Then there was no adequate response, and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin decided that he could outgrow Crimea and do more evil with impunity," added the president of Ukraine.
But with the invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago, Ukrainians' will to resist was awakened, he said.
The historic moment with the deportation of the Crimean Tatars will never again be a marginal note in the history of Ukraine. "Moscow will never have the opportunity to conquer our country, our people, our consciousness and our history," Zelensky said.