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Washington D.C.—Representatives Michael McCaul (R-TX), Lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Chairman of the Committee, released the following statement on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Crimea. 

“Today marks the sixth anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula and the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its people. Six years later, we continue in bipartisan fashion to condemn Russia’s illegal occupation and refuse to recognize its claims over sovereign Ukrainian territory. We stand with Kyiv. Crimea is Ukraine. 

 “Russia’s assault on Crimea includes capturing 24 Ukrainian sailors and seizing 3 ships in the adjacent Kerch Strait in 2018 as well as oppressing local civil society, media and religious minorities. Through unimaginable hardships, violence, and constant interference by the Russian government in their daily lives, the people of Ukraine have demonstrated immense strength and determination as they fight for a more prosperous and democratic future. We admire the bravery of those Ukrainians fighting back against their Russian occupiers and we vow to continue to do all that we can as Members of Congress to support them until the last Russian boot leaves Ukrainian soil.

“We call on Russia to end its illegal occupation of Crimea and cease its aggression in Ukraine, including in the Donbas. So long as Russia continues to violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and the fundamental human rights and freedoms of its people, we will maintain our steadfast bipartisan support in Congress for strong sanctions against Moscow.”

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