13 million Ukrainians live either under occupation or close to the front line, - Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights

About 13 million Ukrainians live either under occupation or in close proximity to the front line, said Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, at the 15^th annual Kyiv Security Forum, founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s “Open Ukraine” Foundation.

“There is no other chance now for Ukrainians to survive except to fight. And there is no other option for international community, then to change, and to change in the most radical manner. There is no other option for international community created to the purpose of protecting rights of various categories of citizens in this planet,” he said.

The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights cited impressive figures: currently some 4.8 million Ukrainian citizens have the status of internally displaced persons within Ukraine, and more than 8 million Ukrainian citizens have fled abroad, whereas some 13 million Ukrainians live either under occupation or in close proximity to the front line.

Mr Lubinets also mentioned that the latest verified figures demonstrate that some 20,000 Ukrainian children were forcibly deported to the territory of Russia. The real numbers can in fact be much higher, he said.

According to the Commissioner, the realities of war prove there is no international system capable of protecting human rights.

“Today is the time when the aggressor country blatantly demonstrates to everyone that international humanitarian law, the Convention on the Protection of Children’s Rights, the Geneva Convention are just empty pieces of paper,” the Ombudsman emphasized.

“Blatant genocide is in full swing in Ukraine... Of whose doing? Of the neighboring country President,” said Dmytro Lubinets.

Noteworthy, the 15^th annual Kyiv security forum “For Our and Your Freedom/ Fighting for NATO” will be held on May 25-26, 2023, with the participation of well-known international figures. In particular, at the Forum, the KSF Security Council will be established and a policy document will be adopted with recommendations for the NATO summit in Vilnius to be held this July.