Ukraine at OSCE: Russia wants to legitimize demographic change through census in Crimea

"The situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea is extremely alarming. This time Russia intends to legitimize demographic change on the peninsula by conducting a nationwide census in the temporarily occupied territory. We condemn this yet another aggressive action against Ukraine's sovereignty," Ambassador Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna said at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting in Vienna on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The Ukrainian diplomat pointed out 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, was invalid. And it cannot be the basis for any change of the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea or Sevastopol, including for conducting a census.

"Unfortunately, all Russia's legitimization efforts are accompanied by terrible repressions against disloyal people and dissidents. To this end, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment are used," Tsymbaliuk said.

As reported, the Foreign Ministry stated that Ukraine condemned the Russian nationwide census in the territory of the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

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