Ukraine recognizes the ChRI as “temporarily occupied by Russia”

Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada recognized the independence of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and called it a “territory temporarily occupied by Russia” as the result of an armed aggression committed in violation of the UN Charter. 287 of 352 lawmakers who were present during the vote, supported the resolution.

The document condemns the genocide against the Chechen people and recognizes the sovereignty of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.

The resolution referred to Chechnya as the “Chechen Republic of Ichkeria” that hints its government in exile, not recognized by the Kremlin. Ichkeria has its government in exile, whose leader is Akhmed Zakayev.

Verkhovna Rada MP Oleksiy Honcharenko said that as the chairman of the interfactional association “For a Free Caucasus,” he considers this an extremely important decision:

“Putin has been trying to enslave the Chechen people for a very long time, he put his Gauleiter Kadyrov in charge, and he is now forcing the Chechens to fight against the Ukrainians. This is a typical Russian imperialist policy with regard to other nations.”

The MP said that Russia must be decolonized, and Ichkeria must be free. Honcharenko says he submitted a resolution to recognize Ichkeria’s independence to the Rada: “We have to take this step and put a final end to Russia’s imperialist policy.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has directed his foreign ministry to study the question, noting that he alone has the power to decide whether to extend recognition or not.