Ukraine is calling on Russia to open its archives on NKVD crimes
This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
On 17 May, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine issued a statement to mark the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled that every year on the third Sunday in May, Ukraine honours the millions of people who fell victim to repression, persecution, torture, arrests, and moral and physical destruction at the hands of the Soviet regime.
The statement mentions sites of mass crimes and mass graves, including the Bykivnia Forest, Demyaniv Laz, Suchia Balka, P’yatykhatky, Rutchenkove Pole and Sandarmokh.
“These wounds will remain forever in our national memory. At the same time, each such scar reminds us of what we are fighting for today: our people’s right to exist, our own freedom, life and dignity,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement reads.
The ministry noted that millions of crimes committed by the Soviet regime have never been properly condemned, investigated or punished.
The Foreign Ministry stated that it was precisely this total impunity that led to the mass atrocities committed by Russia during the current war of aggression waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
Ukraine demands the opening of archives
The Ministry called on the international community to remember and strongly condemn Soviet crimes.
The Ministry also called for accountability for atrocities committed both in the past and in the present.
Separately, Ukraine called for countering the Kremlin’s historical manipulations and attempts by Russian propaganda to deny the crimes of the Soviet regime, obstruct their investigation, or downplay or trivialise them.
The statement also refers to the need to promote independent historical research and studies, as well as to disseminate facts about the criminal nature of the Soviet regime.
“We demand that Moscow stop concealing the truth from the world, open the archives and publish documents concerning the crimes of the NKVD and other atrocities of the Soviet period, which will, in particular, allow the true names of the perpetrators and their victims to be established and historical justice to be restored,” the Foreign Ministry stated.
The ministry emphasised that over the past centuries, Ukraine has endured atrocities, oppression, occupations, world wars, genocides, Stalinist repressions, Chernobyl and other crimes, yet has never seen true justice.
At the same time, the Foreign Ministry believes that Ukraine and the world now have a real chance to break this cycle of impunity.
The statement specifically mentions international accountability mechanisms, in particular the Special Tribunal, the Register of Damages and other legal instruments.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that without justice for the victims of Moscow’s crimes, it is impossible to achieve lasting peace and security throughout Europe.
On 17 May, the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with First Lady Olena Zelenska, paid tribute to the victims at the National Historical and Memorial Reserve “Bykivnia Graves”.
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