Statement

by the delegation of Ukraine

during 80th UNGA Third Committee general discussion

under agenda item 68 “Rights of Indigenous Peoples”

13 October 2025

Chair,

Indigenous Peoples embody centuries of resilience and knowledge. Protecting their rights is not only a legal obligation but a moral duty that strengthens democracy and peace. Ukraine reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to ensuring full respect for the rights of the Crimean Tatars, Krymchaks, and Karaites — the indigenous peoples of Ukraine.

In 2021, Ukraine adopted the Law on the Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine, developed in consultation with Indigenous representatives and civil society. The law guarantees the right to education in native languages, protection of cultural heritage, establishment of representative bodies, and support for ethnic media. Despite the ongoing war, Ukraine continues to implement this law through state programs promoting native language broadcasting, cultural initiatives, and education.

Yet these efforts are undermined by Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. Since 2014, the Russian authorities have pursued a deliberate policy of cultural erasure and intimidation on the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. In 2025 alone, over 700 human rights violations were documented in the temporarily occupied Crimea, including arbitrary detentions, torture, and unfair trials. At least 277 Ukrainian citizens are imprisoned by Russia on politically motivated charges — 157 of them Crimean Tatars. The Mejlis (Parliament) of the Crimean Tatar People remains banned, despite the International Court of Justice ruling that Russia violates its obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Russia has dismantled Crimean Tatar-language education, restricted religious practice, and replaced Indigenous place names, seeking to erase centuries of cultural presence. These actions mirror the tragic deportation – genocide of 1944 and represent an ongoing attempt to destroy Indigenous identity on the peninsula.

Ukraine continues to cooperate with UN mechanisms and supports stronger international monitoring of human rights violations in the temporarily occupied territory. We urge Member States to demand that Russia end its persecution of Indigenous Peoples, release all political prisoners, and bear accountability for crimes committed under occupation.

Chair,

Ukraine will never abandon its Indigenous Peoples. Their culture, dignity, and freedom are inseparable from Ukraine’s sovereignty. The day will come when Crimean Tatars, Krymchaks, and Karaites live freely again on their ancestral land — when Russia ends its occupation, and justice prevails.

Thank you.