In cooperation with the Ukrainian Book Institute, we have prepared a selection of books for the National Nonfiction Reading Week, which will last from September 2 to 8, covering the events of February-March 2014, the preconditions for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the life of the peninsula under Russian occupation.

1. People of the “Gray Zone”: Witnesses of the Russian Annexation of Crimea in 2014 by Anna Andriievska and Olena Khalimon. This is the first book to cover the stories of the victims of the Russian occupation and the stories of people who opposed the Russian army. More than fifty testimonies refute Russian myths that the occupation of the peninsula was “without a single drop of blood” and that the people of Crimea “voluntarily” chose Russia. The book tells how the occupation has turned out for the residents of Crimea and what methods Russian special services and security forces use against civilians on the peninsula.
2. KrymNash. The Story of a Russian Myth by Serhii Hromenko. The book tells the story of the unprecedented flourishing of political mythology caused by the occupation of Crimea. In 2014, the so-called “KrymNash” myth was born out of a variety of individual myths and falsified facts, which was intended to justify the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation in the eyes of the world and legitimize the occupation of the peninsula. In addition, the book provides answers to the most common Russian narratives, such as “Crimea is an inherently Russian land,” “Crimean Tatars are all traitors,” “the peninsula became part of Ukraine illegally,” and others.
3. The Book of Testimonies. Anatomy of the Russian Annexation of Crimea by Anna Andriievska and Olena Khalimon. The book tells about the course of the Russian invasion and occupation of Crimea in the spring of 2014, how the life of Crimean residents under Russian occupation has changed, and the human rights activities of pro-Ukrainian activists who remained in their homeland despite the repressions of the occupation administration and Russian security forces. The book contains memoirs and testimonies of internally displaced persons (including those who were persecuted by Russian security forces and the FSB) from Crimea and those who remained under occupation.
4. Annexation of Crimea – an International Crime: A Monograph by Oleksandr Zadorozhnii. This is an essential scientific publication for anyone interested in international law issues. It is a comprehensive global legal study of relations related to interstate cooperation between Russia and Ukraine on the “Crimean issue” after the restoration of their state sovereignty (1991-2014) and during the Russian aggression in Crimea and occupation of the peninsula. According to the author, Ukraine has all the legal grounds to return to Crimea. We should prepare for this, and this monograph will help with this preparation.
5. The Lost Island. A book of reportages from occupied Crimea by Nataliia Humeniuk. This is a collection of reports from the temporarily occupied Crimea, where journalist Nataliia Humeniuk traveled from 2014 to 2019. The book contains true stories of the tragedy of people whose lives have changed dramatically since 2014. Entrepreneurs and pensioners, Crimean Tatars, students and civic activists, human rights activists and military personnel, people with different political and ideological views tell their stories openly: some share their silent, deafening pain, others are simply tired of being silent and afraid. This book is a multi-voice of occupied Crimea, where individual stories create a shared story that is not yet over.
6. Crimea Behind the Curtain: A Guide to the Occupation Zone by Olha Volianiuk, Khrystyna Dobrovolska, Maksym Maiorov. The book describes the situation on the peninsula before and after Russia’s occupation. According to the authors, the publication contains “exclusive facts about the occupation and militarization of Crimea.” The study includes facts and illustrations concisely presenting Crimea’s critical historical, political, and social problems. The book describes the facts of the occupation of Crimea from February to March 2014 and outlines the main problems of the current situation of the occupied territory.