To the Honorable Representatives of the Colonized Peoples of Russia, I address you as a serviceman and commander of the special unit "Crimea" — as someone who witnesses the consequences of Russian aggression every single day. We are fighting against a colonial state not only for our own freedom but also so that your peoples may one day know what true freedom feels like.

In this war, you have been turned into a tool in the hands of the Russian government. You are thrown onto the front lines as cannon fodder, with no regard for your lives, your families, or the well-being of your communities. The Kremlin’s dictatorial policy is aimed at your destruction — both physical and spiritual. They seek to erase your identity, your culture, and your history.

Let me draw some historical parallels. Remember the fate of peoples who fought for their freedom. Ukrainians, for example, have struggled for centuries for the right to statehood. The Holodomor, the repressions, and now the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war — all of these are attempts to eliminate Ukrainians as a nation. The Crimean Tatar people, of whom I am a part, have also suffered under Russian aggression. For centuries, invaders have tried to wipe out our culture, our intellectuals, and everything that binds us as a people. We survived genocide and exile from our homeland. Russia tried to erase even the memory of the Crimean Tatars — but we endured. We preserved our culture, our identity, and our language. And today, we continue to defend our independence and our right to live freely on our land.

Another example — the peoples of the Baltics, who endured Soviet occupation but never lost their dream of freedom. Eventually, they restored their independence after decades of oppression and now live as free democratic nations.

You must understand: Ukraine is not your enemy. We are fighting for our right to live in freedom and independence — and we understand your pain, your longing for self-determination. I believe that you want to be reborn as independent nations, to preserve your language, your culture, your traditions — to preserve yourselves. Today, the Russian Federation continues to destroy the national identities of the peoples within its borders. Think about the Chechen people. Two brutal wars led to mass killings, the destruction of cities and infrastructure, and forced assimilation. The Russian regime sought to erase not only armed resistance but the very idea of Chechen independence.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZEX3Mw7h2HY?si=p2_nZ8WinC86i_SJ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Cultural and religious traditions of other North Caucasus peoples are being systematically destroyed. The Russian administration suppresses local communities, restricts the study of native languages, shuts down national schools, and persecutes activists fighting to preserve their culture. The same is happening to the Tatar people in Tatarstan. Tatar language education in schools is limited, and activists are repressed and imprisoned. Russia is trying to annihilate the national identity of the Tatar people.

Every day, Russia spends enormous sums of money to shell peaceful Ukrainian cities.

At the beginning of January, a massive missile and drone attack cost the Russian budget $620 million — at least 55 billion rubles. In contrast, in 2024, the Russian budget allocated just over 11 billion rubles to support the Indigenous peoples of Russia, including Ingushetia, and just over 19 billion to Tuva. The money that the dictatorship spends on death and destruction should have gone toward the development of the peoples whose lands are still under Russian control — toward improving their lives and preserving their culture and language. Instead, the regime chose the path of destruction.

Only through the path of freedom can your nations be reborn and achieve success. Your history is rich with heroic examples that demonstrate your strength and will to be free. Together, we can stop the aggressor and colonizer who seeks to enslave us all. Your struggle for freedom is our struggle. United, we can change the course of history and give a future to our children. Protect your identity, your roots, your people. Your strength lies in unity and determination. We believe in your will for freedom and stand ready to support you in this fight.

Source: СЕМААТ