News

The unity of the Crimean Peninsula and the mainland of Ukraine has been anchored for centuries not only by historical events but also mentally. Year after year, citizens gathered at Kobzar’s monuments throughout Crimea to honor the poet’s memory and his contribution to the cultural heritage of Ukraine. This was before the arrival of the occupiers, who have been trying to destroy any mention of Ukrainian identity in Crimea for 9 years.

However, it was the mass protests on March 9, 2014, that showed that no pseudo-referendum and intimidation by force will overcome the Ukrainian resistance. Several hundred people in Sevastopol and about a thousand in Simferopol declared this in one voice.

Since 2014, the occupying administrations have been trying to take over the role of the monument to Kobzar, and later to ban pro-Ukrainian organizations from organizing Shevchenko Days and persecute those who disobey. However, despite all the threats and obstacles of the occupiers, flowers appear at Taras Shevchenko’s monuments every year, and not only on March 9.

Because we are united within internationally recognized borders, historically, culturally, and, most importantly, mentally. And our unity gives us faith and inspiration to continue the struggle, at the front and under occupation.

Soon – in Shevchenko Park – in de-occupied, Ukrainian Simferopol!

The visit of the Ukrainian delegation headed by the Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva to Malaysia and Indonesia aroused great interest of the leading media in the region – as for now, the number of publications has reached 21.

Interviews, press conferences, cultural events and simply coverage of a series of meetings with representatives of parliaments, religious organizations and civil society – in this post we have collected the main publications of the Asian media for you.

 

“Tamila Tasheva says Ukraine needs international support – not only in the form of weapons, but also in the future of Ukraine’s reconstruction process”, – China Press: https://cutt.ly/78HnQ5g

“For all Ukrainians, our struggle is a struggle for freedom and values that also apply to the civilized world. But this war is not about Russia versus the West, it is about democracy versus authoritarianism”, – quote from the Permanent Representative in The New Straits Times: https://cutt.ly/r8HnOO8

“During Soviet times, Crimean Tatars were deported from their homeland by Stalin’s communist regime to Central Asia. After the collapse of the USSR, they returned to Crimea. Nine years ago, Russia invaded Crimea again, and history seems to be repeating itself, and the Crimean Tatars are once again in a dangerous situation”, – detikNews: https://cutt.ly/U8Hn018

“Russian troops did not come to Ukraine to save anyone, as they claimed. Instead, they destroyed cities, killed women and children, and destroyed everything Ukrainian”, – BeritaSatu: https://cutt.ly/h8HQiKF

“The Ulema Council of Indonesia emphasizes that Russia’s aggression against sovereign Ukraine is wrong and must be stopped as it causes suffering to civilians and has a global impact”, – Akuratnews.com: https://cutt.ly/y8Hm4O5

“Crimean Tatars are Muslims, so Tamila Tasheva traveled to Indonesia to invite the Islamic community to support the struggle of Crimean Tatars against Russian occupation”, – Medcom.id: https://cutt.ly/T8HmcBo

“Now the Muslim Crimeans are fighting side by side with Ukrainians for independence. Because after the beginning of the Russian occupation in 2014, the persecution continued, with arrests of Muslim leaders and a ban on the activities of the Mejlis”, – the Permanent Representative’s quote in SINDOnews.com: https://cutt.ly/l8HmIJE

“The University of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) and the University of Islam Indonesia (UII) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties with Ukraine in the struggle for the fate of Crimean Tatars. Both Islamic universities are ready for further cooperation in the field of education between the two countries, especially for Crimean Tatar Muslim students”, – Media Indonesia: https://cutt.ly/J8HQllJ

 

The articles were also published in Panjimas (https://cutt.ly/z8HmXWO), TVNU Televisi Nahdlatul Ulama (https://cutt.ly/z8HnVYV), BeritaSatu (https://cutt.ly/58Hn4nk), Liputan 6 (https://cutt.ly/U8Hmoi7, https://cutt.ly/v8Jm5c4, https://cutt.ly/58JQTTX), CNBC Indonesia (https://cutt.ly/S8JWzn5), TribunNews.com (https://cutt.ly/s8JmTBy), Suara Merdeka Jakarta (https://cutt.ly/u8JWL5O), kumparanNEWS (https://cutt.ly/k8JREsE), Indonesia Posts English (https://cutt.ly/C8JRBTl) and Jakarta Globe (https://cutt.ly/Q8JTdjL).

Each appearance of representatives of the Ukrainian state or non-governmental organizations of this kind in the region is important, as it allows to bring the issue of occupied Crimea to the informational space of Asian countries and thus shake the Russian narratives that have been prevalent long here. Dialogue with the countries of the Global South has become more intense, and this is important because Ukraine’s victory over the aggressor should be a matter for the whole world, focused on democratic values, development, and rejection of imperialism and neocolonialist policies pursued by Russia.

 

In the framework of strengthening cooperation and interaction with the countries of the Global South, the Ukrainian delegation headed by the Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva visited India, Malaysia and the Republic of Indonesia.

The delegation included Members of Parliament of Ukraine – members of the inter-factional association “Crimean Platform” Vadym Halaychuk and Mariia Mezentseva, as well as the Head of the Crimean Platform Department Mariia Tomak.

During the Conference of Ambassadors of Ukraine in 2022, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared the countries of the Global South one of the key strategic priorities of our country.

“Implementation of the strategic course of the President of Ukraine to strengthen cooperation with the countries of this region requires finding those priority topics that can lay the groundwork for long-term and fruitful cooperation and will be important not only for us but also for the countries we see as our partners”, Tamila Tasheva said.

During the visit, the Ukrainian delegation focused on establishing cooperation with potential partner organizations in Southeast Asia by promoting the Crimean Platform and raising the issue of politically and religiously motivated persecution in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

In total, the members of the Ukrainian delegation held more than 20 substantive talks, including meetings with high-ranking officials of the Republic of Indonesia: the Chairman of the Interparliamentary Cooperation Committee of the Council of People’s Representatives, the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, the Advisor to the Minister of Justice, the Head of the International Relations and Investment Service of the Government of the Special District of Yogyakarta, the Chief Ombudsman, etc.

In addition, meetings were held with members of the Executive Board of the Nahdlatul Ulama Association, the largest religious organization in the world, the Secretary General of the Central Executive of Muhammadiyah, the second largest religious organization in the world, and members of the steering group of the Indonesian Ulema Council.

Tamila Tasheva, together with other members of the delegation, gave four public lectures and held meetings with rectors of major academic centers in the region.

During the talks, the representatives of Ukraine informed the interlocutors in detail about human rights violations in the occupied Crimea, which are usually directed specifically at Crimean Tatars, including criminal prosecutions, falsified cases and criminal sentences of the occupation courts.

Another important topic was the destruction of historical and cultural monuments of the Muslim community by the occupiers. They discussed the creation of a special international tribunal, as well as the prosecution of all those involved in the commission of war crimes on the occupied Crimean Peninsula.

Thanks to the fruitful work of Ukrainian diplomats, Malaysia and Indonesia supported the recently approved UN resolution demanding that Russia withdraw its troops from the territory of Ukraine to its internationally recognized 1991 borders.

To strengthen Ukraine’s informational presence in the leading media of the respective countries, Tamila Tasheva gave interviews to television broadcasters in Malaysia and Indonesia. In addition, India hosted a photo exhibition to mark the anniversary of the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as a screening of the film Homeward directed by Nariman Aliyev at the French Cultural Center in Jakarta.

 

 

The Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol continues systematic work to bring to criminal responsibility those involved in illegal recruitment campaigns to the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces and criminal mobilization on the territory of the occupied peninsula.

Following a public prosecution by the Autonomy Prosecutor’s Office, the occupying commissioner from Crimea was sentenced in absentia to 11 years in prison. He was found guilty of violating the laws and customs of war, namely, forcing the civilian population of the occupied peninsula to serve in the armed forces of the enemy (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). This is the first sentence for such a crime in Ukraine!

The convicted is a citizen of the Russian Federation, in 2018 he took up the position of the so-called “military commissar of the Simferopol district and the city of Alushta”. On the instructions of the leadership of the occupier-country, the man directly developed plans and organized 5 recruitment campaigns for residents in the respective areas of the occupied peninsula.

Since 2015, the enemy has been regularly conducting recruitment campaigns and recruiting residents of the peninsula to serve in the Russian army – according to rough estimates, about 39 thousand citizens in the occupied Crimea have already been drafted into the Russian armed forces.

Suspicions of committing similar war crimes have also been served on 10 military commissars from different districts of the occupied Crimea. Three indictments are pending in courts.

The Prosecutor’s Office, together with non-governmental organizations, also informed the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on this issue and provided evidence of war crimes committed by the top military and political leadership of the Russian Federation in the context of illegal recruitment and propaganda of service in the Russian Armed Forces, including among children.

 

MAIN TOPICS:

 The occupiers have issued void “warnings” to commit any active actions and participate in demonstrations to at least 6 Crimeans, including the parents of political prisoners Rustem Emiruseinov and Arsen Abkhairov, and “Crimean Solidarity” correspondent Kulamet Ibraimov.

  The wife of political prisoner Server Zekeryaev reported the inhumane conditions of her husband’s detention – he has been kept in the isolation cell for a month and given food with pork, which contradicts Server’s religious beliefs.

 According to open sources, the occupiers are going to transfer illegally imprisoned Enver Krosh, Vilen Temerianov, Rinat Aliyev, Murat Mustafayev, Seityagi Abbozov and Edem Bekirov to Rostov.

Militarization of the Crimean Peninsula

 The airport in Simferopol has been closed to civil aviation of the occupier since February 24 last year.

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

 According to open sources, Aksyonov decided to build a new base for the “Wagner” forces in the occupied Crimea – 500 hectares are supposed to be allocated for this “noble” purpose in one of the mountainous regions of the peninsula.

 Residents of the occupied Crimea continue to record the activity of Russian fighter jets daily, which are likely to fire missiles at Ukrainian cities.

 Residents of the occupied Crimea report to us every day about the launch of Russian missiles from the Black Sea – all the missiles are flying towards Ukrainian cities.

 The occupiers claimed that they allegedly prevented a “massive drone attack”: 6 drones were allegedly shot down by legendary air defense systems, and another 4 were disabled by “electronic warfare”.

 According to open sources, trucks of the Russian military, mainly from the 126th Coast Guard Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet, continue to be brought to the north of the occupied peninsula through Simferopol.

 The occupiers began looking for workers to dig and equip trenches in Krasnoperekopsk. Moreover, they also ask to “come with your own tools”, which shows who we are fighting against.

Criminal mobilization

 As of March 6, 2023, at least 315 soldiers of the Russian army have already been buried in the occupied Crimea. 208 of them were probably Ukrainian citizens. The number of burials may be higher, as many of them take place without coverage. Information is being updated.

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

Propaganda of the occupying administrations and incitement to hatred

 In Sevastopol, the Black Sea Navy Museum opened an exhibition remembering the fallen Russian soldiers who fought against Ukraine. The exhibition will run until March 24, 2023.

 The occupying (?) dog Talipov continues to harass citizens who support Ukraine: last week, he set pro-Russian creatures on a woman listening to Ukrainian music in her car and another driver who attached the Ukrainian national flag to the windshield of his car.

 In math textbooks, very difficult problems with no meaning appeared – about how many days it would take for a Russian brigade to destroy the drones supplied by the “west”. That’s the only place where they can destroy the equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

 The leader of the occupying “parliament” of Crimea, Konstantinov, said that they would get rid of Latin signs on the peninsula.

Publications of the occupying media

 The main propaganda narrative this week is “everything is calm in Crimea, there are no explosions, all drones have been shot down, it’s just supersonic!”

 Normal news: a Crimean man tried to swim from occupied Crimea to mainland Ukraine to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

 Security measures will be tightened in occupied Crimea after the situation with the so-called “Ukrainian sabotage reconnaissance groups” in Bryansk.

Public sentiment

 In Sevastopol, the “Pirate Tavern” bar, where visitors danced to the songs of Ukrainian artists, was subjected to harassment and “special control”.

 On Mount Celebi, unknown persons made the inscription “Armed Forces of Ukraine” with stones. We are proud!

 Resistance movements against the occupiers continue their work: “Crimean Battle Seagulls” distribute leaflets with advice for civilians during deoccupation, and the “Yellow Ribbon” launched the #UnitedHeartofUkraine flash mob. We urge everyone to join in!

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

 The Mission of the President continues to receive inquiries from Ukrainian citizens who want to leave Crimea because they cannot tolerate the occupation and total propaganda. We remind you of our instructions on how to leave the temporarily occupied Crimea: https://cutt.ly/YV8zdBz

We thank the conscious Ukrainian citizens in the occupied Crimea for promptly reporting on the situation on the Crimean Peninsula, in particular on the socio-economic situation, the movement of Russian troops, the movement of resistance to the occupation, etc. For more information, please send an e-mail to the Information provided Department of the Mission of the President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea:

 [email protected]

 Glory to Ukraine!

 

Illegally convicted political prisoner and father of many children, Server Zekiryayev has been held for a month in a punishment cell of a Russian colony in the Tula region. This was reported by his wife Zarema Zekiryayeva.

“Only twice a week they give prisoners beef-based food. The rest of the time, only pork. We communicate by e-mails. Server wrote an application for a call, but they did not allow it”, Mrs. Zarema commented on the conditions of detention.

This is not just pressure on a citizen of Ukraine, but also torture because the food brought to the illegally imprisoned Crimean Tatar does not meet his religious beliefs, so he is forced to starve.

Only the deoccupation of Crimea will put an end to such politically motivated criminal prosecutions and repressions against our citizens, and stop the violation of the rights of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people

The Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva opened the first seating of the National Commission on the Crimean Tatar Language, which was established by the Government in January 2023.

“I would like to emphasize that the support of the indigenous Crimean Tatar people and the restoration of their rights violated as a result of the criminal deportation are essential. The restoration and development of their identity is an important element of Ukraine’s state policy. We laid the foundation for the relevant policy in 2021, when the Law of Ukraine “On Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine” was developed and adopted with our direct participation. Similarly, the “Strategy for the De-occupation and Reintegration of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol” included relevant steps. Therefore, the adoption of the “Strategy for the Development of the Crimean Tatar Language for 2022-2032” was a logical continuation of the state’s consistent policy in this area”, Ms. Tasheva addressed the participants of the meeting.

To recall, the Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva became a co-chair of the National Commission together with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk and Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Refat Chubarov.

The advisory body also includes representatives of the involved state bodies, the Mejlis, and linguists from educational institutions.

 

Russia certainly did not expect to see thousands of activists outside the Crimean parliament on February 26. It did not expect the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar flags, and it certainly did not foresee the strength of the resistance of Ukrainian citizens. Therefore, it had to follow the usual terrorist path of sending regular military units to the Ukrainian peninsula. Nevertheless, February 26 is remembered as loud and cold, but powerful and united.

By a decree of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2020, February 26 was officially recognized as the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea. It was then that almost 15 thousand activists spoke with one voice. Now, millions of other voices from all over our country and the world are speaking with them.

The resistance did not leave the occupied peninsula for 9 years. From rallies to individual demonstrations, from protests to heroic deeds of the Ukrainian military, who, despite the threat, managed to keep the defense of the fleet and even take some military equipment from the invaders. It was not only an occupation, which was already an unprecedented phenomenon for Europe in the twenty-first century, but it was the beginning of a war.

The incredible citizens of our country have fought and continue to fight without compromising their identity and the territorial integrity of our homeland. In 2014, Russia tried to take away not only the territory but also our people. But despite this, Crimea was Ukrainian.

And it will always be so.

Every day, underground resistance movements, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar activists remind the occupiers that they have no place in Crimea. Cars with stickers of racist symbols are burning beautifully, walls are covered with Ukrainian inscriptions, yellow ribbons appear in different cities, and all the necessary data about collaborators and war criminals is easily available.

The information struggle, distribution of leaflets, coverage of true events on the occupied Crimean peninsula, listening to Ukrainian music, shouting “Glory to Ukraine” – all these things are considered “terrorism” and “extremism” in Russia. We are very grateful to every citizen who continues to fight despite threats, criminal prosecution and illegal verdicts of the occupation courts.

We know that Ukraine’s victory is coming soon, but it is impossible without a free Crimea. After all, the war began with its occupation, and it will end with its liberation. All illegally convicted citizens of Ukraine will return to their families, kiss their loved ones and hug their children. And we will all meet on the beaches, in the mountains, in the middle of the streets of a free Crimea.

We have one road, and it leads to freedom, independence and sovereignty. Yes, Ukraine has a lot of work ahead of it to eliminate all the consequences of the occupation of the peninsula and return it to normal life as part of a European country with democratic values. But it is certain that Crimea misses Ukraine as much as Ukraine misses it. We will liberate it very soon!

In the meantime, we stand, fight and believe. Crimea is Ukraine!

A special screening of the documentary “Crimea: as It Was” will be held on the eve of the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea.

On February 25, at 15:00, a special screening of the documentary “Crimea as it was” will take place in the cinema “Oscar” (“Gulliver” shopping mall) will host a special screening of the film, which tells the story of the Ukrainian military, who were the first to face the tactics of hybrid warfare during the Russian armed invasion of Crimea, and the tricks they used to take out equipment and collect data about the enemy. The film combines picturesque artistic footage with handheld documentary footage that takes place right at the moment of the historical events of the occupation of Crimea, showing the true attitude of both the population of the peninsula to the occupation and the military to the citizens.

Screening event: https://cutt.ly/S3K9qBu

To buy tickets: https://cutt.ly/Q3G0NLb.

The filmmakers will transfer 50% of the cost from the tickets sold to the “10 Million for PANs from Crimea” fundraiser for the needs of the legendary 10th Naval Air Brigade, which withdrew all its equipment from the occupied airfield in Novofedorivka in 2014. Thanks to the courage of the brigade and the Hero of Ukraine, Colonel Ihor Bedzai, Ukraine managed to preserve naval aviation as such.

Support the collection of the “Come Back Alive” fund with a free donation: https://cutt.ly/x3AZseX.

Crimea is Ukraine!