Share:Ukraine on Monday called for international awareness on missing or abducted people in the regions of Crimea and Donbas. The statement noted that many of these individuals were pro-Ukrainian activists who oppose Russia. Commenting on the statement, Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova vowed to continue work to raise pressure on Russia with international partners, including members of the Crimean Platform. Russian forces entered the Crimean Peninsula in February 2014, with President Vladimir Putin formally dividing the region into two separate federal subjects of the Russian Federation the following month. Fighting between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in Donbas has seen more than 13,000 people killed since 2014, according to the UN.​​​​​​​The region is one of several sources of friction between Russia and Ukraine.

Source: The Nation August 30, 2021 16:07 UTC