Today, Ukraine and the entire world commemorate the memory of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who perished due to the criminal acts of the Soviet regime: the Holodomors. These acts of genocide against the Ukrainian people hold a crucial place in the collective memory of Ukrainians. Crimea, at the time separated from the mainland by only an administrative boundary, shares this tragic chapter of our history.

Before the Holodomor, the population of Crimea, much like the population in Ukraine’s southern regions, demonstrated widespread dissent related to the policy of collectivization. This resistance manifested in acts of sabotage, so-called “women’s riots,” and rumors of uprisings against the Soviet administration. Protest in Crimea differed slightly in its religious undertone, as Crimean Tatars insisted on the abolition of collectivization, arguing it contradicted Islamic norms. One of the most notable protests by Crimean Tatars was the Alakat uprising of 1929-1930 in the village of Uskut (now Pryvitne) on Crimea’s southern coast. Despite attempts to assimilate Crimea, the Soviet administration acted as an occupying force, much like elsewhere in Ukraine.

The Holodomor of 1932–1933 was driven by agricultural policies and thus primarily affected regions producing grain. The USSR was preparing for a future war with the West and urgently needed not just money but also control over the agricultural output of the peasantry. Aware that farmers would not willingly surrender their property, the Soviet authorities decided to resort to force.

The Holodomor of 1932–1933 serves as an example of genocide based on the principle: “Those who oppose Soviet power must be destroyed.” Stalin’s policies destabilized the country, with dissent growing daily. The Bolsheviks felt compelled to “thin out” the rebellious population, particularly in regions capable of self-sufficiency and feeding others. The doctrine of “He who does not work, neither shall he eat” was replaced with “He who does not submit, shall not eat.”

Historian Martin-Oleksandr Kyslyi emphasizes that while some historians argue that “the terrible famine bypassed Crimea,” evidence shows that famine in Crimea, though less severe than in regions like Kherson, was used as a tool by the Stalinist administration to control and eliminate dissenters.

Archival materials on the famine in Crimea in 1932–1933 remain limited. Available records show that even in Sevastopol, home to the Soviet Navy, food shortages were recorded. The Sevastopol district was tasked with partially supplying the military, while local residents faced reduced supplies of meat and grains and a complete lack of fats and sugar. Data indicates that around 180 people died of hunger in Sevastopol between 1932 and 1933.

In 1932, peasant protests against grain requisition campaigns became widespread. The exodus of peasants from collective farms led to a decline in collectivization indicators on the peninsula. Numerous cases of resistance against Bolshevik grain seizures were documented in Crimea, prompting the Soviet administration to respond as harshly as it did in other Ukrainian territories. These measures included not only the infamous “Law of Five Ears of Grain” but also local directives.

For instance, the OGPU (Soviet secret police specializing in counter-revolutionary activities) in Crimea issued directives prohibiting households from selling meat and dairy products, forcing them to transfer goods to state organizations. The artificial nature of the famine is also confirmed by reports received by the German consulate in 1932 about hunger in Crimea and Ukraine from residents of Telman and Buyuk-Onlar districts (then German national districts). However, the Soviet administration refused to import bread from Germany.

The situation varied across the Crimean Peninsula. Southern Crimea, where horticulture was well-developed, fared better. Peasants survived by relying on small fish like anchovies, which were washed ashore and distributed to villages by cart. These policies also aimed to prevent aid from reaching Ukrainians fleeing famine to Crimea. The Soviet administration ensured that food from Crimea did not leave the peninsula.

Many peasants from southern Soviet Ukraine, where the famine was most severe, traveled to Crimea to earn money or find food. They worked in construction, agriculture, and resorts. The Soviet administration harshly punished peasants who failed to meet grain requisition quotas, driving many to seek refuge in Crimea to escape repression.

Short-term migrations to Crimea in search of bread were common, especially among residents of border regions such as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, which had traditional ties to the peninsula. Crimean Tatars often aided Ukrainian peasants fleeing famine. However, in areas where horticulture was less developed, Crimean Tatars suffered from famine just like other peasants.

Soviet collectivization policies in Crimea before the famine mirrored those in other Ukrainian territories. Despite local resistance, it was ultimately futile. Famine in Crimea existed, but its severity and consequences varied across regions. For Crimean Tatars, the memory of the Holodomor is closely tied to the famine of 1921–1923. Both famines were artificially induced, leaving a lasting mark on the collective memory of Crimean Tatars.

The Holodomor is a critical event for understanding Ukraine’s history and the collective consciousness of its people. It stands as a devastating tragedy for the entire nation, a consequence of the criminal and insidious actions of the totalitarian Soviet regime, which we must never forget.