Ten years ago, Russia invaded and occupied this Ukrainian territory

Ten years ago, Russia sent its mercenaries to the Ukrainian Crimean peninsula on the Black Sea. In a few weeks and with almost no shots fired, he annexed the region in defiance of all international law. This is the first phase of a war that has yet to be named but which has led to a Russian invasion of Ukraine from 2022. Occupied for ten years, Crimea is at the center of the current conflict.

In the ten years of Russian occupation, it is an understatement to say that Crimea has changed, recognizes Raft Tchobarov. He chairs the House of Representatives of the Crimean Tatars, the first victims of repression since 2014. “Children there lived most of their youth under Russian propaganda

he says. And Russia also brought millions of its citizens to Crimea. Chasing them will be a big problem for us.”

Many Crimean residents help the Ukrainian military

At the same time, about a quarter of Crimean Tatars were forced into exile elsewhere in Ukraine. For those who remain, Tatars or ethnic Ukrainians, the fear is constant. Volodymyr Prytaula, who runs an online media outlet from Kiev called Krim Really, knows this well. Many of its journalists have been arrested or imprisoned in Crimea. “There are people who don’t want to be mobilized by the Russians, who fear repression and others who fear Ukrainian bombing. Everyone understands that Crimea is no longer a paradise as of 2014.” It lists.

“It’s a dangerous place today.”

Volodymyr Prytaula, who runs a Kiev-based online media outlet

at franceinfo

In recent days, Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian positions in Crimea. Russia responded by launching ballistic missiles from the peninsula. Tamila Tacheva is the Special Representative of the Ukrainian President for Crimea. “Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, especially with our armed forces bombing Russian positions in Crimea, our people have begun to actively resist, She said that. Many inform our army about the movement of enemy troops or equipment in Crimea. This helps Ukraine a lot.

2022 was a turning point for Crimea. Ukraine realizes that it can not only recapture the territory, but actually has no other choice. The longer this war drags on, the more clear it seems that it is there, in Crimea, that the outcome will play out.