Turkish MFA spokesman: We stand by Crimean Tatar Turks

"We share the suffering of the Crimean Tatar Turks and the fraternal peoples of the Caucasus, who were forcibly deported from their homeland," said Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgiç.

"On the night of May 18, 1944, 250,000 Crimean Tatar Turks were deported from their homeland under conditions far from humanity. Most of the Crimean Tatar Turks lost their lives in this terrible event, and the survivors were forced to live longing for their homeland. Seventy-seven years after the deportation, the difficulties caused by the illegal annexation of Crimea continue. Turkey will stand by its compatriots to protect their national identities and ensure their well-being," he added.