The demonstrative concern of the Turkish authorities over the situation of national minorities in Crimea is opportunistic, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova noted.

"The current demonstrative concern of Turkey with the situation of the Crimean Tatars in Crimea, despite the fact that until 2014, the authorities of this country stubbornly ignored the numerous claims of international organizations to Ukraine regarding the implementation of the ethnocultural rights of this people, only confirms the opportunistic nature of such concerns," she said.

The diplomat noted that, according to opinion polls, in 2020, 96% of Crimeans assessed interethnic and interfaith relations as benevolent.

Zakharova also noted that the role of the Turkish state as a protector of the rights of ethnic minorities is very dubious. 

"Turkey has its own unresolved problems with ethnic, linguistic and religious connotations,” she continued. "We have a lot of questions, problems, areas where we can interact with Ankara, making joint efforts. We have experience of such interaction, let's use it and not engage in such things."