When Russia invaded the Crimean peninsula in 2014, a blatant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Russia broke the first principle of international law: that countries may not acquire territory or change borders by force. That military attack and the subsequent illegal annexation of the Indigenous Crimean Tatar homeland constitute a daily violation of all conceivable international law and standards, including: the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) Final Act (often referred to as the Helsinki Final Act); the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE); the United Nations Charter (specifically United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3314 on the use of "aggression" between member states); and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 

Immediately after the invasion began, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), the largest representation of over 1.5 million Americans of Ukrainian descent, began its campaign of advocacy for the liberation of Crimea. In short order, UCCA condemned the invasion, called upon its resources to entreat similar condemnations from elected officials in Congress and the United States, proposed numerous military and non-military responses that the United States could initiate, and advocated for an immediate high-level US delegation to visit Ukraine.

Still, Russia continues to commit serious human rights violations beyond its borders, in Crimea. At least 109 Ukrainian political prisoners remain in detention in Russia and Crimea. Here in the United States, Ukrainian communities continue to petition our elected representatives to condemn Russia’s actions and uphold Ukraine’s territorial integrity by demonstrating their public support for Ukraine with words and actions.