Conclusions: Crimea.Denys Chystikov
For the third year in a row, at the end of December, Svidomi conducts summary broadcasts on our Ukrainian Instagram page, where it talks about what has changed in Ukraine over the year in various areas: the military, culture, medicine, education, the judiciary and political spheres.
Together with the Deputy Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Denys Chystikov, we discussed the situation in Crimea during the full-scale invasion, steps for the return and reintegration of the peninsula, human rights violations, and more.
What has Ukraine done regarding Crimea?
Ukraine and the whole world saw that Russia has been militarizing the temporarily occupied Crimea for eight years to further attack Ukraine. When the Armed Forces of Ukraine began successful counter-offensive actions, it became clear that the return of Crimea was not a dream but a reality.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that the return of Crimea is not just a declaration, but real steps that Ukraine is taking. The first Parliamentary Summit of the Crimean Platform, held in Croatia in October, is a tool for restoring the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Human rights violations and persecution
The human rights situation deteriorated due to fear of resistance. First of all, the rights of journalists were restricted, so civic journalism emerged and its representatives were persecuted. In April, Iryna Danylovych, who worked as a nurse and ran a blog, was detained. This week, Danylovych was sentenced to 7 years in prison and a 50,000 rubles fine.
This year, the Russians sentenced 22 Crimean Tatars to terms ranging from 12 to 19 years in prison. With this, the temporary so-called "authorities" conducts psychological intimidation of the peninsula's population. The Russians started arresting lawyers, three of them were disbarred.
Punishment for the so-called "discrediting" of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was introduced in Russia and the temporarily occupied Crimea. Crimea is one of the regions with the highest number of convictions under this article. Against 225 people administrative proceedings were instituted, and against two people — criminal proceedings.
Resistance movement
Resistance in the temporarily occupied Crimea has existed in various forms since 2014. After the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Yellow Ribbon network has been developing, as well as the Atesh underground movement.
Everyone who can, even those who were not active until February 24, 2022, is resisting in Crimea. This causes Russia's repressive actions to intensify. Vladimir Putin has signed a law that allows for life imprisonment for sabotage, although it no longer has the impact that the Russians had hoped for.
Illegal mobilization
Since the end of September, about three thousand citizens were illegally mobilized from the territory of temporarily occupied Crimea. However, covert mobilization also takes place, in particular, civilian medics are recruited and taken to combat zones. In the future, conscripts can be forcibly mobilized for contract service in the Russian Armed Forces.
In the places where Crimean Tatars live, men were forcibly mobilized without a medical examination. Russia has also shortened the list of diseases that do not allow military service.
De-occupation and return of Crimea
Ukraine is ready to return Crimea by military means, but this requires resources. It is also necessary to stop the Russian logistical supply to the peninsula. The world is ready and will help Ukraine until the complete liberation of its territories.
Crimea's integration into Ukraine
- Restoring public authority;
- Creation of security conditions;
- Resumption of services;
- Establishment of government bodies (probably, military administrations will operate at first);
- Implementation of reforms adopted in Ukraine after 2014;
- Resolving issues with real estate;
- Review of judicial decisions;
- Addressing humanitarian policy issues;
- Work with media and information policy.
Crimean culture
Russia destroys everything connected with the indigenous people of the peninsula. Every year, the Russians conduct archaeological research in Crimea, and Ukraine cannot control how the Russians use the excavated sites. Russia is committing cultural genocide by taking out historical archives.
Under the guise of restoration, the temporary occupation "authorities" destroy the cultural value of objects: the latest example is the Golden Cabinet in the Han Saray in Bağçasaray.
The Ministry of Culture is working to create a catalog of missing monuments known to Ukraine to draw the world community's attention to them and bring those involved to justice.
