WASHINGTON, D.C.—On May 18, 2025, diplomats, scholars, and members of the Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian diasporas gathered at the Victims of Communism Memorial to mark the 81st anniversary of the 1944 deportation of Crimean Tatars by Soviet authorities. The solemn ceremony honored the memory of approximately 423,100 victims of the forced exile and highlighted ongoing concerns about human rights abuses in Russian-occupied Crimea.

The event featured the laying of flowers and lighting of candles, accompanied by performances of the national anthems of Ukraine, the United States, and the Crimean Tatar people. These acts served as poignant reminders of the enduring cultural identity and resilience of the Crimean Tatar community.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst delivered a keynote address, emphasizing the historical injustices faced by the Crimean Tatars. “Human dignity requires us to acknowledge that today marks the 81st anniversary of the repressions of Crimean Tatars from their ancestral homeland,” Herbst stated. He traced the community’s history, noting the establishment of the Crimean Khanate and its annexation by the Russian Empire in 1783. Herbst condemned Stalin’s actions as a major crime, recognized by many as genocide, and highlighted the prolonged struggle of the Crimean Tatars, who were not permitted to return to their homeland until 1989.

For more information, visit the Crimean Tatar Foundation USA’s official website.