On the 91st anniversary of the Holodomor: UK statement to the OSCE
Ambassador Holland remembers those who lost their lives and condemns Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
Thank you, Mr Chair. The Holodomor was one of the darkest chapters in Ukrainian and European history. A terrible man-made disaster that killed millions of innocent people.
On this 91st anniversary, the UK remembers those who lost their lives. We pay tribute to our Ukrainian friends, who continue to work to ensure that the truth of the Holodomor is recognised, after decades of suppression by the Soviet Union. We also commend the bravery of individuals and organisations who have sought to expose these Soviet-era atrocities, particularly in Russia. We condemn the persecution of them for trying to expose the truth. The temporary closure last week of the award-winning Gulag History Museum in Moscow is the latest example of this campaign by the Russian state.
We must never stop learning from the horrors inflicted on the Ukrainian people during the Holodomor, nor allow the millions who perished to be forgotten.
In a historical echo, some of the world’s most vulnerable people are again suffering from Russia’s weaponization of food. Missile strikes on commercial ships and deliberate attacks on Ukrainian export infrastructure have harmed global food security and impacted shipments of humanitarian aid. And of course, Ukraine is now suffering deliberate attacks on its energy infrastructure in an attempt to maximise civilian suffering and terrorise the population.
Mr Chair, we remember the horrors of the past to avoid their repetition. It is our collective responsibility to humanity to ensure that suffering such as that experienced during the Holodomor is not repeated. Thank you.