Occupation has left Ukraine without a complete picture of its indigenous communities, raising urgent questions about languages and traditions at risk.
This was reported by the press service of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience (DESS).
According to the 2001 All-Ukrainian Population Census, approximately 248,200 Crimean Tatars, 1,196 Karaites, and 406 Krymchaks lived in Ukraine. However, these figures do not reflect the current situation.
No new population census has been conducted, and due to the occupation of Crimea, Ukraine has no opportunity to obtain complete and reliable information about the people who remain on the peninsula.
Therefore, it is currently impossible to officially determine how the population of the Indigenous Peoples has changed since February 20, 2014, and February 24, 2022.
As a result of the war and occupation, communities have become more dispersed: some people were forced to move to other regions of the country or abroad.
The dispersal of people across different cities and countries makes it more difficult to preserve communities and family ties and to pass languages and traditions on to children. This is particularly dangerous for the Karaites and Krymchaks, whose populations were already very small before the war.
The preservation of the Indigenous Peoples’ languages remains a separate challenge. The Crimean Tatar, Karaim, and Krymchak languages are included on the list of languages at risk of extinction.
DESS is preparing a separate strategy for their preservation and development. It will involve creating dictionaries and educational materials, recording oral testimonies, collecting and digitizing old documents, developing online courses and digital resources, and supporting the transmission of languages from older generations to younger ones.
Specific Practical Steps and Further Plans
Several practical steps have already been taken for the Crimean Tatar language. The government has approved its orthography based on the Latin script. An annual Cabinet of Ministers award has also been introduced for contributions to the development of the Crimean Tatar language, with up to 20 awards of UAH 50,000 each.
It is also noted that every year on August 9, Ukraine joins the international community in marking the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
Preserving cultural heritage and linguistic diversity requires long-term state support, public attention, and consistent policy across a wide range of areas of life.