Art-рroject U(CRIME)A – illustrations about occupied Crimea

The non-governmental organization KrymSOS together with the illustrator Iryna Vale The public organization CrimeaSOS, together with illustrator Irina Vale, created ten images that demonstrate Russia’s crimes in Crimea and their consequences, about peaceful resistance and the unbreakable connection between Crimea and mainland Ukraine. The project was implemented with the support of the ARTIF platform.

The “Yellow Ribbon” Movement

Following russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the “Yellow Ribbon” resistance movement appeared in occupied territories. In April, the movement called on residents of occupied Kherson to hang Ukrainian flags and yellow ribbons on the street and in public places. These became symbols of Ukrainian resistance to the russian invaders. 

Since then, activists of the movement have distributed leaflets, painted patriotic graffiti, and protested every day in the temporarily occupied territories of the Crimean Peninsula and parts of southern Ukraine. They do all this to show the occupiers that they are not welcome here.

Destruction of Unique Crimean Nature

After the occupation of the Crimean Peninsula, 20,000 hectares of steppe have been plowed, thousands of rare trees were cut down, and the peninsula’s territory was has been carelessly built up. 

russia has extracted oil, natural gas, precious minerals, sand, crushed stone and other building materials, and water from underground horizons for its own purposes, without regard for any consequences. All such resources are exported to the russian federation and used for the needs of the occupiers, including the construction of the Kerch Bridge and the Tauride Highway, as well as the maintenance of its military facilities.

The so-called “Crimean” or “Kerch” Bridge is a significant environmental crime. The bridge caused a change in the migration routes of fish and the deaths of many dolphins, including three species on the list of those endangered. 

Colonization and the Erasing of Identity

Since 2014, according to various sources, russia has brought up to 800 thousand russian colonists to the peninsula in an attempt to “russify” Crimea. At the same time, due to politically motivated persecution, oppression, and intimidation, thousands of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians have left the peninsula. 

Under the conditions of occupation, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar culture on the peninsula are being gradually eradicated. Until 2014, 100% of (or 191,000) schoolchildren studied the Ukrainian language on the peninsula. Nine years later, this number has fallen to some 200 children (0.2%). Moreover, these lessons are now strictly optional – conducted after basic lessons and only up to Grade 9. 

In addition, political prisoners, most of whom are Crimean Tatars, are prohibited from speaking the Crimean Tatar language. They are not even provided with interpreters during hearings. In several instances, the occupying administrations of penitentiary institutions have forbidden prisoners from corresponding with their relatives in their native language. 

The Childhoods Stolen by Political Prosecutions 

Since the beginning of the russian occupation, the first politically motivated cases against Crimean Tatars in occupied Crimea were fabricated. The number of accusations and prosecutions has only increased. Approximately every third family of Crimean Tatars has a member imprisoned or detained. 

In total, more than 200 children of political prisoners have had to grow up without fathers who have been illegally imprisoned by the occupiers for terms ranging from five to nineteen years. Childhoods are crippled by family grief and constant struggles with accusations in occupying courts. At least 12 children born after their fathers’ arrests have never seen them.

Politically Motivated Imprisonment 

During all these years of occupation, a clear system of political persecution has been built in Crimea, which has seen provisions of russian legislation being selectively applied. Crimean Tatars have been the most persecuted. 

To date, more than 190 Crimean residents have become victims of politically motivated persecution, at least 110 of those people are Crimean Tatars. 2 Crimean political prisoners already died in russia penitentiary institutionst.  

Lack of Freedom of Speech

From the first days of the occupation, the occupying russian authorities seized control of communications and limited the access of Crimeans to Ukrainian mass media. By the end of 2014, the broadcasting of Ukrainian TV channels was completely blocked, being replaced by russian ones. Dozens of Crimean mass media outlets either stopped operating or moved to mainland Ukraine.

Professional journalists were replaced by bloggers and civic activists who could talk about the real situation on the peninsula. These people are now under the supervision of special occupying agents and may be subjected to persecution. 

During the occupation since 2014, at least 15 Crimean civic journalists have become victims of political persecution by the occupying russian authorities.

Destruction and Theft of Cultural Heritage

After 2014, the occupiers swallowed the collections of Crimean museums into the museum fund of the russian federation. Thousands of artefacts were taken away and hundreds of illegal archaeological excavations were organised on the territory of the occupied Crimean Peninsula. 

Throughout the peninsula, unique historical monuments were left to crumble or have been distorted by “reconstruction”. For example, the Cathedral of the Prophet St John the Baptist – the oldest church in Crimea still in use – has been left neglected. Now, there are holes for draining condensate in the walls, as well as holes in the outer shell of the walls.   

In addition to the physical destruction of monuments, the occupiers pursue a policy of assimilation of history and culture. They do everything to devalue cultural heritage. Thus, the “Naples Scythian: Hillfort and Necropolis” archaeological complex was decorated with inappropriate bull skulls, as in the scenery of films about barbarians. Yet, decoration in the “animal style” was not common in the times when Naples Scythian was the capital.  

The Occupation of Crimea is a Threat to Ukraine and Europe 

For so many years of occupation, russia has turned Crimea into a military base on a huge scale. The illegally built bridge across the Kerch Strait has made it significantly easier for russia to transfer troops and equipment to Crimea. Hence, on 24 February 2022, the Crimean peninsula became a bridgehead for the further occupation of southern Ukraine. 

In addition, russia has stationed launchers in Crimea and adjacent maritime areas, which have been used to launch missiles at targets throughout Ukraine. All this means that Ukraine is under constant missile threat from russia troops stationed in occupied Crimea.

Indigenous peoples

Ornek is a Crimean Tatar ornament

In Ukraine, there are officially three indigenous peoples that formed on the territory of Crimea and still primarily live there today: Crimean Tatars, Karaites, and Krymchaks. 

According to various sources, they number today around 300,000 Crimea Tatars; 1,200 Karaites; and 400 Krymchaks. Together, they make up about 13-15% of the entire population of the temporarily occupied peninsula. 

However, the occupying russian authorities are pursuing a policy of extermination against Crimea’s indigenous peoples, at the same time relocating settlers from the russian federation to the peninsula. During the nine of occupation, between 500,000 and  800 thousand of russians moved to Crimea.

The Return of the Ukrainian Flag to Crimea

During years of occupation, a systematic practice of persecution for demonstrating pro-Ukrainian views has been developed in Crimea. The situation has escalated since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. In particular, this is due to the adoption of the article on persecution for allegedly discrediting russia’s armed forces.  

These people are accused of violating occupation legislation under two articles, namely: allegedly discrediting russia’s armed force and the public demonstration of symbols or attributes prohibited in the russian federation. 

Since March 2023, the occupation “courts” in Crimea have issued 514 resolutions on administrative liability for allegedly discrediting the russian army. Of these, more than 160 resulted in indictments, in 48% of cases — for publications or comments on the Internet. On average, people were fined 30,000 rubles each.