A year ago Russia announced the «reunification» of four regions of Ukraine — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya — captured in the course of military aggression. This was one more link in the endless series of war crimes committed by modern Russia against Ukraine and the entire civilized world. The announcement of the annexation was preceded by an absolutely false and poorly staged spectacle about an alleged «referendum» on the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk regions of Ukraine.
Under the gunpoints of the occupiers and the television cameras of the Kremlin’s propagandists, a small number of residents were forced to take part in the Kremlin’s shapito called «referendum».
The results of this Kremlin production were known in advance, just like other circus shows, which in Russia are called elections.
There was outrage and condemnation all over the world. Not a single civilized country in the world recognized the holding of a fictitious «referendum» as legitimate, and certainly, none of them recognized the results of this show with the «free expression of the will of the inhabitants» of the four occupied regions. Everything was done in the old Soviet tradition of «voluntary annexation» by force of captured countries and territories. In the same way in 1939-1940, the USSR seized Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova, and the eastern regions of Poland. During the same period, Soviet Russia seized part of Finland-Karelia.
Then Soviet dictator Stalin shared Europe with his ally Hitler. Now the mad Russian dictator Putin is trying to repeat Stalin’s «successes».
Russia does not change and never will. It has always been and always will be an empire of evil and lies until it is destroyed. Let’s hope it happens soon. All hope for the AFU.
Everyone remembers the statement of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grushko, addressed to the NATO bloc on the eve of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army: «NATO should pack up and go to the borders of 1997». Translated from Russian to human, this means that all of Eastern Europe is ours and if you do not give it to us voluntarily, we will take it by force. By attacking Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russia has begun to execute these plans. Only the unparalleled heroism, courage, and steadfastness of Ukrainian soldiers and the Ukrainian people did not allow the plans of the Kremlin’s rippers to come true and saved Europe from the invasion of the wild horde of Moscow barbarians.
Ukraine in the plans of the Kremlin, was only the first stage in war against the West. The appetites of the Kremlin maniacs extend much further than Ukraine. Only clinical idiots can fail to realize this.
The European Union has condemned Russia’s illegal annexation of four regions of Ukraine, which is contrary to all international norms and rules. Each of the EU member states clearly and unequivocally condemned the bandit seizure of part of Ukraine’s territory.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus stated on September 30, 2022 it also condemned the illegal seizure by Russia of a part of Ukrainian territory. The statement said that «the recent fictitious ‘referendums’ held in the Russian-occupied parts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhya regions of Ukraine are illegal, invalid and contrary to the fundamental principles of international law».
The Republic of Cyprus, represented by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, unequivocally supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and condemned Russia’s criminal actions.
At the same time, the agents of influence of the Russian special services operating in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, following the instructions of Moscow, are planning to hold an on September 30, 2023, in the city of Limassol an active event on the occasion of the so-called «reunification» of the captured during the criminal aggression of the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions with Russia. This was announced by a pseudo-public organization created and financed by Russia, calling itself «Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots of Cyprus-CCRCC.» By feigning public activity the CCRCC acts as a cover for the numerous agents of the Russian special services in Cyprus.
A special operation of Russian special services to legalize the illegal seizure of other people’s territories is scheduled near the building of another unit of the Russian special services — the honorary consulate of the Russian Federation in Limassol.
As in the previous cases, the presenter of this completely false staging of the Russian secret services will be the chairman of the CCRCC Dmitry Apraksin.
The CCRCC has been the official organizer of all pro-Russian propaganda events on the island since February last year. Apraksin is usually the host and main speaker at these events. In his speeches, he expresses support for the war criminal Putin, glorifies the war crimes of the Russian army against Ukraine, and calls for the war to continue until the destruction of Ukraine. As a citizen of Cyprus, he calls the European Union a «satanic entity,» declares the absence of freedom and democracy in the EU, and speaks contemptuously of European values. Repeats the lies of Russian state propaganda and disinformation. He calls Russia a peaceful state defending itself from the aggression of the European Union, NATO, and the United States and calls Cyprus a non-self-governing state under the external control of Washington and Brussels.
At every opportunity Apraksin expresses his loyalty to the terrorist state and personally to the war criminal Putin.
At the same time, he prefers to live in the European Union rather than in Russia.
He sent his daughter to study at the American Academy in Nicosia rather than at the Russian state school in his native Ukhta. He arranged for her to study at a U.S. university through a student exchange program, not at a Russian university somewhere in Magadan. He prefers to spend his vacations with his family in Paris, not in Moscow.
Strange inconsistency. However, this inconsistency is typical of all Russian patriots on the payroll of the Kremlin.
It should be recalled that Apraksin also holds the post of head of the IT department of the University of Nicosia and has access to the computer networks of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Cyprus, in fact, the government of the country.
Celebrating the illegal annexation of several regions of Ukraine is unacceptable in a member state of the European Union. It is morally, ethically, and internationally unacceptable.
This act violated the principles of international territorial integrity and sovereignty enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
If the Cypriot authorities allow a group of supporters of a criminal aggressor State to celebrate on their territory the illegal, criminal seizure of part of the territory of an independent State, it would mean that the island’s authorities would automatically become complicit in this international war crime. References to freedom of speech do not work here. Then the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus should allow everyone to hold celebrations to mark the occupation of the northern part of the country by Turkish troops. If any of the officials of the government or Limassol city hall invoke freedom of speech and expression, then freedom of speech and expression should be for everyone, not just Russians. By the way, most of the members of the Limassol City Council are members of the Cypriot Communist Party. This party has long been supported by Moscow and is a conduit for its interests in Cyprus.
Celebrating the criminal, barbaric seizure of the territory of an independent UN member state on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus will have long-term negative consequences for the stability and security of the Cypriot society and state.
Allowing the celebration of an act of violation of international law means setting a precedent for other potential violations of the international legal order in the future.
Therefore, it is necessary to work on strengthening sanctions and diplomatic isolation of Russia rather than turning a blind eye to its crimes.
It is necessary to suppress any activity of the agents of influence of the Russian special services in the territory of the Republic of Cyprus aimed at attempts to legitimize illegal actions, such as the annexation of part of the territory of sovereign, independent Ukraine.
Glory to Ukraine! Glory to ZSU! Glory to General Zaluzhny! Respect to General Budanov!
Boris Demash, especially for Cyprus Daily News