News

The journal “Ukrainska Pravda” published a column by the Permanent Representative “5 most common fears of Crimeans about deoccupation: debunking Russian myths”, in which Ms. Tasheva responded to several key “theses” that Russia is using to scare Ukrainian citizens away from their own country.

“Each of these fears, which Russia is actively fueling with its propaganda, aims to tear our citizens away from their country not only physically but also cognitively. This is the process of turning Ukraine into a conditional “enemy” that we must fear and fight with arms in hand. However, we have a constructive response to each of these fears, which needs to be communicated now because the support of the local population is also vital for the deoccupation of the peninsula”.

Read more: https://cutt.ly/B4Ex17E

The European Court of Human Rights has set a date for a hearing in the interstate case Ukraine against Russia, a case of systemic human rights violations committed by the occupying administration of Crimea since 2014.

The ECHR has admitted Ukraine’s application for violation of the European Convention on Human Rights by Russia in the occupied Crimea partially admissible. The hearing in the case is tentatively scheduled for November 8, 2023.

At this hearing, the Court will consider the applications already declared admissible, as well as the admissibility and merits of the case of political prisoners (no. 38334/18) and the application of convicts under Article 8 of the Convention (brought in case no. 20958/14).

This is another decisive step towards bringing Russia to justice for the crimes of occupation!

Ukraine will win!

Illegally imprisoned civilian journalist Iryna Danilovych went on a dry hunger strike because the occupying administration of the detention center does not provide her with the necessary medical care.

Iryna announced this in her statement and said that she has been suffering from hearing problems for 4 months, her condition is rapidly deteriorating, and the symptoms may indicate a micro stroke.

The occupying judge and the head of the pre-trial detention center are aware of Danilovich’s health condition, but the woman continues to be transported from Simferopol to Feodosia to familiarize herself with the audio materials of the so-called “case”. During one of these transportations, Iryna fainted at least once, so she wrote a statement demanding that she be provided with the necessary treatment and that the familiarization be postponed.

“I demand to stop the abuse of me and declare a dry hunger strike from 21.03.23, 08:00, until the moment of making a diagnosis for me and the treatment begins, or until the moment of my biological death”, the political prisoner wrote in her statement.

Without providing medical care and the necessary examination to political prisoners, the occupiers have already tortured Ukrainian citizens Konstantin Shiring and Dzhemil Gafarov, who died in a Russian prison. Ignoring the illnesses of illegally imprisoned persons and refusing to provide them with treatment is a severe violation of humanitarian law and is tantamount to torture!

The Mission of the President is outraged by the treatment of Ukrainian citizen Irina Danilovich and demands that the Russian Federation immediately releases the citizen journalist. We draw the attention of the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine and the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to the inhumane treatment of Irina and the violation of her fundamental rights and freedoms.

We call on the international community to condemn the actions of the Russian Federation and the occupying administrations of Crimea under its control and to continue political and diplomatic pressure on the aggressor country. Only de-occupation will put an end to the abuse of Ukrainian citizens and return peaceful and free life to the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula!

Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva spoke at the International Tourism Forum “Tourism in Ukraine: Challenges and Recovery”.

The event was organized by the Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the State Agency for Tourism Development of Ukraine (SATD).

The topics of the forum were: the strategic plan for the development of Ukrainian tourism in the post-war period, directions for the restoration of tourism and creation of a new tourist product, international and interregional relations, and cooperation in development of tourism in Ukraine. In particular, one of the most important topics was the Crimea Recovery Strategy after de-occupation.

Ms. Tasheva mentioned how the occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula affected tourism: every year the number of opened areas for recreation is decreasing, the most valuable lands were given to the Russian power holders. Several cases of illegal blocking of access to the sea have been recorded, as well as the construction and destruction of the unique Forosky Park, the privatization of vast territories on the southern coast of Crimea by Vladimir Putin and his entourage.

The Permanent Representative reflected on the Crimea Recovery Strategy, the goal of which is to make Crimea open to the civilized world, energetically autonomous, economically developed modern European resort.

“Our goal is to transform Crimea into a resort with all-year-round provision of tourist services, where entertainment and cultural-historical infrastructure is the main focus, integrated into the unique Black Sea landscapes”, Ms. Tasheva concluded.

Leading Ukrainian tour operators, hoteliers, Ukrainian and foreign scientists, who are specializing in tourism product development, destination management and regional public administration also joined the event.

At the current stage of the court, illegally imprisoned Iryna Danylovych has to familiarize herself with the materials of the fabricated case, for which the pre-trial detention center workers transported her to the occupying Feodosiya City Court – during the transfer Iryna lost consciousness at least once.

According to Irina’s father, she asked to postpone the date of familiarization with the materials of the “case” due to her health issue, but the occupiers refused. Since Iryna was never provided with medical care in the Simferopol pre-trial detention center, her health is deteriorating.

A week before being convoyed, the doctor, who was admitted to Danylovych conducted a purely demonstrative examination and did not draw any medical conclusion or prescribe a treatment for the civil journalist, who has been suffering from otitis and hearing problems since October 2022. In addition, the pre-trial detention center staff issued documents stating that there were no medical obstacles for Iryna being convoyed, despite her acute otitis, frequent loss of coordination, numbness, and deterioration of the general state of health.

Iryna Danylovych announced that she intends to go on a dry hunger strike as a sign of protest against the blatant abuse of her.

About the case:

As a medic, Iryna run social networks and columns about the protection of the rights of medical workers and health care problems in occupied Crimea. On April 29, 2022, FSS officers conducted an illegal search in Danylovych’s house and kidnapped her on the way from Koktebel to Feodosia. For 12 days, her relatives did not know about Iryna’s location, nor about the appointment of possible occupying court hearings. It became known on May 7 that Iryna was accused of “illegal actions with explosive substances or explosive devices”.

The occupying Feodosia City Court held an illegal trial against Danylovych. The journalist was subjected to psychological pressure and used physical force, which Iryna reported in a letter – https://cutt.ly/VXO2SIm

At the pre-trial hearing, occupying judge Nataliya Kulinska did not grant the defense’s request to exclude a number of inadmissible evidence obtained during the illegal detention of the journalist in the basement of the FSS – https://cutt.ly/sX6aVL3

Japanese media “Nikkei”, which has editorial offices in the USA, China and Asia, published an interview with the Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva about the 9-year occupation of Crimea, the militarization of the peninsula, as well as plans of Ukraine to liberate its territory.

Full material in Japanese: https://cutt.ly/b4zzvSj

Main topics:

  The Russian court in Rostov-on-Don handed down an illegal sentence to Crimean Tatar Amethan Abdulvapov – 10.5 years of imprisonment in the case of “Crimean Muslims”.

  Russian invaders took blood from civilian blood transfusion centers in occupied Sevastopol for a clinical military hospital. The medical crisis on the occupied peninsula is worsening. This was announced by the Center of National Resistance.

  On March 17, the occupiers kidnapped 29-year-old Crimean Tatar Tair Saidametov. His location became known only today, he is being held illegally in the FSS building in occupied Simferopol.

Militarization of the Crimean Peninsula. 

  The airport in Simferopol is still closed for civilian aviation of the occupier since February 24, 2022.

  In the occupied Crimea, the “yellow level” of the terrorist threat continues for an indefinite term: in Sevastopol, Armyansk, Dzhankoy, Krasnoperekopsk, Kerch, as well as Dzhankoy, Krasnoperekopsk, and Leninsky districts.

  Inhabitants of the occupied Crimea continue to record the activity of Russian fighter jets every day, which are probably firing missiles at the cities of Ukraine.

  Everyday inhabitants of the occupied Crimea inform us about the launches of Russian missiles from the Black Sea, which fly towards Ukrainian cities.

  The occupiers continue to prepare for the “defense” of the occupied Crimea: according to the recent information, about 90 combat aircraft and 60 helicopters have been deployed there.

  Residents of occupied Simferopol reported about explosions nearby the Russian military base.

  The occupiers report a “successful” shoot-down of a drone in the Saksky district of occupied Crimea.

  Residents of the occupied peninsula reported about the “work of the air defense complex” in the Dergachi area, Sevastopol.

Crime mobilization

  As for March 13, 2023, in the occupied Crimea, the burials of at least 324 soldiers of the Russian army have already taken place. 217 of them were probably citizens of Ukraine. The number of burials may be higher, as a significant part takes place without elucidation. Information is being supplemented.

  In the open sources, appeared information that the occupiers began to conduct a “population census” in the places of residence of the Crimean Tatars in order to further issue summonses to the citizens of Ukraine.

  We encourage our citizens to avoid illegal service in the aggressor’s army: https://cutt.ly/vVIJLiQ

Propaganda of the occupying administrations and incitement of enmity

  President of the Russian Federation, Putin allegedly visited occupied Sevastopol to open a children’s art school and the “Korsun” center there.

  The occupiers are preparing lists of employees to evacuate from Crimea, as well as property lists of hospitals, universities, etc.

  Schoolers in occupied Simferopol began to pass military training courses. In the open-source video, the girls assemble and disassemble the machine gun.

  The occupying administrations announced that from April 1, 2023, they will start providing the participants of the so-called “SMO (special military operation)” with land plots in the occupied Crimea.

  This time, to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the occupying PSYOPS (psychological operations) filmed a video in which Ukrainian soldiers allegedly cut the Koran. However, the knife with which they cut the holy book of Muslims turned out to be from a batch of paratrooper knives that were purchased specifically for the “Kadyrovites”.

  The occupiers detained Roma representatives, who were accused of “espionage”. According to the occupying media, another “pro-Russian Roma woman” said that she overheard their conversation and understood that they wanted to convey information about the locations of the Russian military.

  The occupying authorities report that there was allegedly an attempt to blow up a gas pipeline in Sevastopol.

Publications of the occupying media

  The main announcement of this week in the occupying media was the shootdown of an American drone by a Russian fighter SU-27 over the Black Sea, which was performing a reconnaissance mission.

  The Russian “Sberbank” was complaining about the new telephone fraud scheme with accusations of treason for transferring money to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

  Crimean hotels lower their prices three times before the summer holiday season due to low demand, while the occupying news sources continue to say that “Crimea is under reliable protection”.

Public sentiments

  The resistance movement is expanding. Occupying security forces began to record people, who were buying blue and yellow ribbons. In occupied Sevastopol, new anti-war signs appeared, including “Putin the fascist” and “Putin the murderer”.

  In occupied Crimea, two boys were detained for using the symbols of the Ukrainian special forces’ detachment “Azov”. One of them published his symbols on social networks, and the other wore a sweatshirt with the “Azov” symbols.

  On March 18, on the streets of the occupied Crimea cities, on top of Russian propaganda posters about “referendums”, resistance activists put up posters with the inscriptions “Glory to Heroes” and “Crimea – Ukraine. Not only since 1954, but ALWAYS”.

  Resistance movement “The Crimean battle seagulls” began to distribute posters reminding the occupiers that it is time for them to flee from Crimea. Other methods of seagulls to intimidate collaborators continue. In particular, the so-called head of the Dzhankoy occupying administration, Iryna Fedorenko, received “congratulations” on her birthday.

  We remind our fellow citizens about the “RAZOM (Together)” chatbot, which was launched by activists of the “Yellow Ribbon” resistance movement, send information about the occupiers athttps://t.me/zhovta_strichka_bot

  The Mission of the President continues to receive requests from citizens of Ukraine, who want to leave Crimea due to the inability to tolerate the occupation and total propaganda. We remind you of our instructions – how to leave the occupied Crimea: https://cutt.ly/YV8zdBz

 We thank the conscious Ukrainian citizens in the occupied Crimea for prompt reports about the current situation on the Crimean Peninsula, in particular regarding the socio-economic situation, the movement of Russian troops, the occupation resistance movement, etc. Please send detailed information to the e-mail of the Press-Service of the Mission of the President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea:

 [email protected]

Glory to Ukraine!

On March 17, in Simferopol district, in the village of Ukromne, unidentified individuals in civilian clothes took 29-year-old Crimean Tatar Tair Seydametov in an unknown direction. At that time, the young man was visiting relatives. Before that, Seydametov’s relatives noticed that he was being monitored.

Аround midnight, Tair Seydametov called his mother, announcing that he “went to Sevastopol for an overnight stay and will return in the morning”.  However, by this time he has not returned home. Relatives of the Crimean Tatar wrote a statement to the FSS. The occupying security forces reported that it would be reviewed within a month.

In addition, the family filed a claim to the occupying police in Simferopol. At their request, the employees of the so-called Ministry of Internal Affairs came, took the relevant statements, and accepted the claim. At the same time, they informed that within 48 hours they can detain Seydametov, appoint a trial and only then inform the detainee’s parents.

Seydametov’s location became known only on the morning of March 20. According to his family, Tair is being held in the building of the Federal Security Service in occupied Simferopol. Relatives are not aware in what capacity Tair Seydametov was detained and what is his procedural status.

UPD: On the night of March 20, Tair was released. The family reports that he is now at home.

The occupiers continue the practice of enforced disappearances on the occupied territory of the Crimean Peninsula. We draw the attention of law enforcement agencies of Ukraine to the violation of the rights and freedoms of citizens of Ukraine. We are urging the international community to react decisively to these criminal actions of the Russian Federation and increase pressure on the aggressor country.

The Mission of the President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea condemns the illegal actions of the Russian Federation and the occupying administrations controlled by it. Only the liberation of the Crimean Peninsula will put an end to the crimes of the occupation and ensure respect for human rights and freedoms.

Anya Free, Ph.D., is a scholar of Soviet and Russian history and human rights. Her academic expertise is on Soviet propaganda and museums during the World War II and postwar period. She has recently published on the events in Ukraine.

Quotes:

1. Putin’s use of the rhetoric developed by Catherine the Great is just one instance of the Kremlin’s habit of recycling and repurposing propagandistic tropes for its strategic needs. Putin’s reinforcement of the myth of Crimea as possessing a civilizational status for Russia, which represented an attempt to legitimize the annexation, elevated the symbolic status of the strategic peninsula, turning it into one of the cornerstones of Russian neo-imperialist ideology.
2. After absorbing Crimea [in 2014], the Kremlin began recolonizing the peninsula. While tens of thousands of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians relocated from Crimea after the 2014 annexation, a large influx of Russian citizens replaced them and took up residence on the peninsula. The remaining Crimean Tatars are often persecuted. The policies that caused displacement of the Crimean population and incentivized Russian recolonization of Crimea removed the potentially hostile population from the crucial militarized region and further reinforced the myth of Crimean inherent Russianness.
3. Crimea has a central role in the Russian imperialist ideology and propaganda that continues erasing the peninsula’s diverse history, presenting Russians as its indigenous population.
4. The return of Crimea to Ukraine, whenever it may happen, would not only restore the international order. It would also have the potential to deliver a crucial blow to Russia’s neo-imperial aspirations, which is essential for achieving security in the region, and would contribute to Russia’s own rebuilding as a democratic and prosperous nation.

Source: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/putins-crimea-mythmaking