The Russian Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina announced the occasion, as they say, “incitement about the use of a number of peoples of the Russian Federation of the traditional Islamic religion as cannon fodder in order to preserve the lives of the Slavic population of Russia”.
The Russian embassy called this “absurd”, and in support of this they offered the thesis that the structure and national composition of the Armed Forces of Russia has not changed in recent years, nor has any mobilization been announced in Russia.
“Therefore, professional soldiers in accordance with the contract, representatives of all ethnic groups of the country, who voluntarily chose military service as their profession, are participating in combat operations in Ukraine. Russian Muslims personally faced the threats of terrorism and Nazism, voluntarily and responsibly made the decision to make a personal contribution to the fight against these anti-human phenomena. Many Islamic believers sacrificed their lives to save the civilian population in Ukraine and were awarded numerous awards, including the title of Hero of Russia,” the Russian embassy said.
According to them, the Muslims of Ukraine also made their choice.
“In March of this year, ten communities of Muslims in Eastern Ukraine suddenly appealed to leave the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine and to join the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia. In Crimea, the Islamic revival for the communities of the Crimean Tatars has been going on for eight years. Only during 2019-2020, 65 Islamic societies were registered in 2014. Since 2014, around 50 mosques have been built on the peninsula, the construction of around 20 more Islamic religious buildings continues in practically all regions of the Republic of Crimea, and old mosques are being renovated,” the Russian embassy said.
They added that the construction of the magnificent Crimean Cathedral, which will become one of the largest in Europe, is being completed in Simferopol.
“It will have an area of about 6,000 square meters, it will be able to accommodate more than 2,500 people at the same time, while four minarets will have a height of 50 meters each. The Russian state ensures the interests and security of the people of all religions in its composition while they reciprocate Russia,” he adds.
For their part, they emphasize, they will also be glad that “the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina do not accept illiterate and primitive statements as truth”.
“To learn more about our country directly from their religious brothers, that Muslims perceive Russia not as a threat but as a friendly country, which has no hidden intentions towards BiH. We are counting on joint work with the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Strategic Vision Group ‘Russia – Islamic the world'”, concludes the Embassy of Russia in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
