© Gleb Garanich / ReutersUkrainian President Petro Poroshenko
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko admitted that he coordinates actions aimed against the Crimean Peninsula, including the ongoing "energy blockade," which have been carried out by an unrecognized Crimean Tatar nationalist organization called Mejlis.
"I regularly meet with the representatives of the Crimean Tatar people, with Mustafa Dzhemilev [a Ukrainian parliament MP and a long-time leader of the so-called Mejlis] and Refat Chubarov [the current leader of Mejlis] as well as other activists in order not only to support, but also to coordinate their actions," Poroshenko said during a press-conference on Thursday, Ukrainian media report.
The Ukrainian leader also called for intensifying efforts aimed at returning Crimea to Ukraine, although he refused to "assume any irresponsible responsibilities concerning specific dates."
On January 13, the Legislative Assembly of the Crimean Republic addressed the Russian Prosecutor General and Investigative Committee asking them to launch a probe into the suspected genocide of Crimean people in view of the ongoing energy blockade, which was set up with the participation of the members of Crimean Tatar nationalist organizations and the far-right Ukrainian Right Sector movement.
"The blockade of the Crimean Republic launched under the leadership of Ukrainian MPs Mustafa Djemilev and Refat Chubarov as well as groups of persons
who are de facto controlled by the Ukrainian authorities has been going on for over four months now. This is a very visual example of
a blatant violation of Human Rights, of a crime motivated by hatred and of an attempt at genocide that hurts civilian residents of Crimea," the address reads.
Comment: King Salman's many brash decisions during his first year of rule include waging war on Yemen, shrinking the budget, mass executions of dozens including Shia religious leader and dissident Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr for political activities earlier this month, and starting a spat with Iran. Sources said that the king is spending hundreds of millions to buy support for his decision within the ruling family. A fine record of accomplishments, indeed.