FEATURES OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL STATUS OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF UKRAINE

Summary
The problem of the status of indigenous peoples is of global relevance for Ukraine, it is exacerbated by the fact that such peoples live on its territory, and the tragic events taking place in these territories today. Determining the constitutional and legal status of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine is connected, first, with creating a list of ethnic groups that can be recognized as indigenous peoples in Ukraine according to certain legal crite-ria and justifying their differences from other ethnic groups, including national minori-ties; secondly, with the definition of the system of collective rights of indigenous peoples as subjects of constitutional law; thirdly, with the development and adoption of relevant legislation on the status of indigenous peoples of Ukraine and, fourthly, the need to create effective mechanisms to ensure the collective rights of indigenous peoples of Ukraine, whi-ch will guarantee both the exercise of these rights and equality of rights and freedoms re-gardless of national character and inviolability of the territorial integrity and state sove-reignty of Ukraine. Ukraine has recognized the de facto rights of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people since 1991; recognition of its de jure status took place in 2014 during the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. The adoption of the Law on Indigenous Peoples was the final stage in shaping their constitutional and legal status