CrimeaSOS held a number of events for the Day of Resistance in different cities of Ukraine

February 26 is the Day of Resistance to the russian Occupation of Crimea. On this day in 2014, at the call of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, thousands of caring Crimeans gathered near the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea. Thus, the citizens resisted the occupation and declared to the world the indivisibility of Ukraine. According to various sources, there were 5,000 to 10,000 people at the protest. However, the very next day, at five in the morning, the government of Crimea was captured by the russian military.  

In order to tell people in different regions about the resistance that has been going on for 10 years, CrimeaSOS held events in different cities of Ukraine: Berdychiv, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Zolotonosha, Rivne, Sumy and Khmelnytskyi. 

Berdychiv, Zhytomyr region 

Photo from the CrimeaSOS event in Berdychiv.  

Residents of the city, including internally displaced persons, came to the events in Berdychiv. 

Daria Honcharova, regional coordinator of NGO CrimeaSOS in Zhytomyr region, organized a screening of the documentary film “The Struggle of Jamala”. The film tells the tragic family history of the singer and draws attention to the complexity of the situation of the Crimean Tatars. 

The audience was also shown the U(CRIME)A art project, created by the NGO CrimeaSOS together with the illustrator Iryna Vale. The images were dedicated to the consequences of the occupation and the crimes that russia has been committing on the peninsula for more than 10 years. 

Vinnytsia 

Photo from the event dedicated to the anniversary of the occupation of Crimea in Vinnytsia.

IDPs and local residents of Vinnytsia joined the event dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the resistance to the occupation of Crimea. During the event, Svitlana Dmytriieva, the regional coordinator of the NGO CrimeaSOS in the Vinnytsia region, reminded those present about the events that took place in Crimea on February 20-27, 2014.  

The participants of the event also watched and discussed the documentary “The Struggle of Jamala”. IDPs from Crimea who attended the meeting shared their own stories and memories from 2014.  

The event was held with the support of the NGO Docudays UA. 

Hoshcha, Rivne region

Students and teaching staff of the relocated Bakhmut centre of vocational and technical education, currently located in the village of Hoshcha, Rivne region, participated in the event dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the resistance to the occupation of Crimea.  
Olesia Burdiuk, the regional coordinator of the NGO CrimeaSOS in the Rivne region, gave the participants a historical excursion on the commemoration of the tragic date, talking about the events that took place ten years ago.  

Those present got acquainted with the exhibition of illustrations created by the NGO Crimea SOS together with the artist Iryna Vale. The discussion also concerned the crimes committed by russia against the residents of the temporarily occupied Crimea.  

Zhytomtr 

Educational events were also held in this city. Daria Honcharova, regional coordinator of the NGO CrimeaSOS in the Zhytomyr region, told the participants about the negative consequences of the occupation and the main challenges of the future reintegration of Crimea. The attendees saw an exhibition by “U(CRIME)A. Crimea under russian occupation” by CrimeaSOS and Iryna Vale.  

Zolotonosha, Cherkasy region

The event was attended by the youth of Zolotonosha – local residents and IDPs. The participants listened to a mini-lecture by the coordinator of Traveling Docudays UA Yurii Chumak about the history of the Crimean resistance. Those present had the opportunity to see an exhibition of illustrations about the crimes of russia. The exhibition was created by CrimeaSOS together with the artist Iryna Vale.  

Those present also watched the video “We fought then, we will win now” by the Crimean Tatar Resource Centre, which tells about the events of 2014 in Crimea and the repression carried out by the russian federation against the population with a pro-Ukrainian position. The discussion of the film took place together with the student parliament of Halytskyi district of Lviv.  It was moderated by the head of one of our communities, NGO “Areket” Amet Bekirov.

The event ended with a master class on drawing the Crimean Tatar ornament “Ornek”. The master class (as well as the entire event) was conducted by Tetiana Kavalchuk, regional coordinator of CrimeaSOS in the Cherkasy region. 

Rivne 

A presentation of the works of Ukrainian artist Iryna Vale took place in the Integration Space in Rivne. 

Crimea SOS has prepared a selection of photo and video materials picturing thousands of inhabitants of the peninsula resisting the russian occupation, rallies and protests against the presence of russian troops in Crimea in 2014, boycott of the “referendum”. 

“It is necessary to raise awareness about the occupation of the peninsula, to form a deeper understanding of the consequences that are already being felt far beyond the borders of our state”, — noted the head of the Integration Space, Olena Khomych.

Sumy 

On February 21, in Sumy, CrimeaSOS held an information session “Violations of human rights and international law during the large-scale invasion and in the temporarily occupied territories: analysis of the situation”. The event was organized by Maryna Yezhkun. Representatives of state authorities, local residents, internally displaced citizens, local media, and representatives of state authorities (from three departments of the Regional State Administration, Prosecutor’s Office, Police, State Security Service, State Migration Service) were also present.

Khmelnytskyi 

During the event, posters demonstrating the consequences of the russian occupation of Crimea and crimes on the peninsula were presented. 

Another important part of the meeting was the viewing of the documentary film “Crimea. Invincible”. It tells about people who resisted the russian occupation of Crimea from the very beginning.  

At the end of the event, the participants discussed the film and asked questions that interested them.  

The event was organized by the regional coordinator of the NGO CrimeaSOS in the Khmelnytskyi region, Natalia Openko, together with the Honcharenko Centre.

Chernivtsi 

Students of the Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University and Chernivtsi Polytechnic College participated in the event dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the resistance to the occupation of Crimea.  

CrimeaSOS developed a presentation dedicated to the consequences of the russian occupation of Crimea. Those present watched and discussed the documentary film “Crimea. Invincible” about the resistance of ordinary residents of Crimea to the occupation, which has been going on for more than 10 years.  

The event was held by Antonina Voloshchuk, regional coordinator of NGO CrimeaSOS in Chernivtsi region, in partnership with the Youth Residence Youth Communal Institution.

Chernihiv 

The regional coordinator of the NGO CrimeaSOS in the Chernihiv region, Liubov Muliovana, told the participants about the negative changes taking place on the peninsula since the beginning of its occupation.  

Those present also watched and discussed the documentary film “Crimea. Invincible”, which tells about the heroic resistance of Ukrainians during the occupation, which has been going on for more than ten years. The event was held on the basis of the Centre for Work with Children and Youth at the place of residence.

Why do we do this? 
Awareness of the events that took place in Crimea in 2014 is an important condition for unity. This prepares the ground for de-occupation and allows maintaining the connection between the temporarily occupied peninsula and mainland Ukraine. The more Ukrainians and foreigners know about the events of that time, the easier it will be to fight against the narratives of russian propaganda.

Source of the image: Ukrinform.