Main news of the week:
▶ 21-year-old activist Sidamet Sitmemetov, who went missing in Simferopol on 4 June, has made first contact with his family. He managed to briefly state that his freedom is currently restricted.
▶ In occupied Yalta, the Meltzer Mansion — an early 20th-century architectural landmark — is under threat of destruction. Due to the occupiers’ inaction, the building is rapidly deteriorating despite its protected status. In 2024, it was sold at a public auction for 121.3 million rubles, in violation of cultural heritage protection regulations.
Invaders’ crimes:
▶ As of June 9, the occupiers have illegally imprisoned 222 individuals, including 133 Crimean Tatars
▶ As of June 9, 2025, there were 1382 cases of materials compiled under Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea. In 1218 cases, decisions were made to impose fines or combine cases with cumulative decisions. In 61 cases, proceedings are still ongoing. In 49% of the decisions (597), women are involved, and in 51% (620), men are involved.
▶ In occupied Sevastopol, the Russian occupation forces detained a 66-year-old local woman accused of allegedly transmitting information about Russian military facilities in Crimea, including photos and videos of Black Sea Fleet ships, to Ukrainian intelligence. The so-called “court” unlawfully sentenced her to 16 years in a general regime colony and imposed a fine of 200,000 rubles on charges of so-called “state treason.”
▶ A 39-year-old Sevastopol resident was unlawfully fined 45,000 rubles by the occupiers for social media comments in which she criticized the occupation and expressed support for Ukraine.
▶ The so-called “court” rejected the appeals of political prisoners Viktor Kudinov and Serhii Zhyhalov, who were sentenced to six years in prison for alleged involvement in the activities of the religious organization Jehovah’s Witnesses.
▶ The occupation administration’s security forces unlawfully fined 24-year-old Elnaz Charukhova, a resident of Skvortsove village in the Simferopol district, for allegedly posting pro-Ukrainian content on social media. However, she refused to record a coerced video “apology.”
▶ Activist Iryna Horobtsova, unlawfully sentenced to 10.5 years in a high-security colony, is currently being transferred to Penal Colony No. 2 in the village of Yavas, Republic of Mordovia, Russian Federation.
Forcible conscription:
▶ At least 2020 Russian servicemen from units stationed in Crimea have been killed. Of these, 1306 are likely Ukrainian citizens.
▶ It has been confirmed that at least 119 Russian servicemen from Crimea have been taken prisoner. Most of them are likely to be Ukrainian citizens.
▶ The so-called “V.I. Vernadskyi Crimean Federal University” has introduced a mechanism of forced conscription disguised as academic monitoring. Under the pretext of tracking academic performance, the administration collects data on students with three or more failed exams, leading to automatic expulsion. These expelled students are then immediately registered with the occupation military enlistment offices, where they can be mobilized at any time without an official draft announcement.
Militarization of the Crimean Peninsula:
▶ Agents of the ATESH movement continue their operations across the temporarily occupied peninsula. Most recently, they disabled Kremlin-controlled online platforms that had been broadcasting daily disinformation and working to erase Ukrainian identity among residents of Crimea and the border regions.
▶ The occupiers are transforming Kerch Airport into a military base. Satellite imagery, open Russian registries, and intelligence reports confirm the active construction of facilities for drone launches, air defense systems, and other military infrastructure used by occupation forces.
▶ The occupation administration has launched large-scale construction of protective shelters for combat aircraft at all major military airfields across the peninsula. Fortification work has been documented at the Kirovske airbase, Belbek in Sevastopol, as well as in Hvardiiske and Novofedorivka. Similar structures are also being built within the territory of the Russian Federation, indicating preparations for prolonged armed confrontation and an attempt to reduce the vulnerability of aviation infrastructure to strikes.
Propaganda of the occupation administrations and incitement to hostility:
▶ In temporarily occupied Crimea, the occupation administration organized a series of propaganda events to mark the 100th anniversary of the Artek camp. These included a so-called “lesson in bravery,” during which children were made to interact with a participant in the war against Ukraine — an official from the occupation administration. Additionally, events such as the festival Let There Always Be Sunshine! the game Russia’s Living History, and the children’s summit Artek: Dialogue for Peace and Development were held to instill a pro-Russian worldview and promote Kremlin ideological narratives among residents of Crimea and foreign guests.
▶ For the so-called “Russia Day,” the occupation administration in Crimea carried out a series of public propaganda activities, prominently featuring Russian symbols and involving children and their parents. Such events were staged in Simferopol, Alushta, Koktebel, Yalta, and Bakhchysarai.
▶ The Russian occupation administration used temporarily occupied Crimea to take part in the propaganda motor rally Roads of Victory. Hero Cities, aimed at promoting Soviet myths about the “Great Victory” and legitimizing the Russian Federation’s current aggressive policies. As part of the event, a symbolic flower-laying ceremony was held, along with the transfer of a capsule containing soil from the Russian memorial Valley of Glory. The rally, which began on 28 May in Murmansk and is set to conclude on 12 June in Sevastopol, covers over 6,300 km and passes through locations portrayed in Russian propaganda as symbols of “heroism.”
▶ The occupiers held another ideological event — the fifth Solovyov Readings as part of the so-called “Great Russian Word” festival. Named after Rear Admiral Volodymyr Solovyov, who participated in the attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014, the propaganda forum brought together participants to discuss topics related to geopolitics, history, and the rhetoric of “restoring fraternal relations,” which is part of the Kremlin’s information campaign to erase Ukrainian identity on the peninsula.
▶ The occupation administration in Sevastopol is attempting to strip the Catholic community of the right to use the former Druzhba cinema building. Although the property was transferred to the community in 2018, restoration works remain blocked under the pretext of a supposed land dispute with neighboring owners. At the same time, the occupation administration refuses to grant permission for restoration.
Civil Resistance:
▶ In Sevastopol, the occupation administration detained a 42-year-old woman and her 24-year-old daughter on fabricated charges of alleged “state treason” and cooperation with the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
▶ The Yellow Ribbon resistance movement continues to expand its presence despite pressure from the occupation structures. Despite constant efforts to silence dissent, activists consistently find ways to make their voices heard. They leave traces of Ukraine in public spaces — yellow ribbons on fences, bold slogans on building facades, and leaflets at bus stops.
▶ The women-led initiative Zla Mavka maintains a daily chronicle of life under occupation. Through silent resistance, they shed light on the reality on the peninsula. These women document shifts in public sentiment across Crimean cities — how pressure interweaves with longing for freedom, and fear with hope. They act with precision and determination: banners on bridges, graffiti in stairwells, messages at bus stops. Each act is a challenge to a system that thrives on silence. Their presence shatters the illusion of the occupiers’ control.
▶ Members of the Crimean Combat Seagulls serve as the intelligence and analytical arm of the resistance. They gather data, verify information, and study the crimes of the occupation forces and their collaborators. Beyond documenting repression, they are building an archive of accountability to serve as the foundation for future justice. In parallel, they explore how civil society resists under the harshest conditions.
The Mission continues to receive inquiries from Ukrainian citizens who want to leave Crimea because they cannot tolerate the occupation and total propaganda. We remind you of our instructions on how to leave temporarily occupied Crimea: https://cutt.ly/FwtiajlS
We thank the aware Ukrainian citizens in occupied Crimea for their prompt reports on the situation on the Crimean Peninsula, in particular on the socio-economic situation, the positions of Russian troops, the resistance movements to the occupation, etc. For more information, please send an e-mail to the press service of the Mission: [email protected].
Glory to Ukraine!