Main news of the week:
▶ Due to an environmental disaster caused by the collision of two Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait on December 15, a significant amount of fuel oil slicks has been observed in the sea near the Kerch coastline. Due to a shift in wind direction to the east, these slicks have started drifting toward Feodosiia Bay. Cases of bird deaths have already been recorded, but in occupied Feodosiia, no ornithologists or veterinarians are available to provide emergency assistance to the affected wildlife. Since the accident, volunteers have collected and removed 226 tons of oil-contaminated soil from the shoreline.
▶ According to open-source information, it was reported that on December 23, at around 5:00 p.m., a Ukrainian drone attacked the vessel Fedir Uryupin in the bay near the village of Chornomorske in occupied Crimea. The ship had been seized by Russia during the occupation of Crimea in 2014.
▶ Social media reports indicate that during the night of December 29-30, a series of explosions occurred near the village of Vityne and the settlement of Chornomorske in the Yevpatoriia district.
Invaders’ crimes:
▶ As of December 30, the occupiers have illegally imprisoned 218 individuals, including 132 Crimean Tatars. Of these, 43 are under arrest (28 Crimean Tatars), 151 are imprisoned (97 Crimean Tatars), and 26 are held without status (6 Crimean Tatars).
▶ 1126 cases were filed under Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation in so-called “courts” in occupied Crimea. In 993 cases, administrative fines or combined rulings were issued. Proceedings continue in 42 cases.
▶ The court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, sentenced Pavlo Levchenko to 22 years in a maximum-security penal colony and imposed a fine of 1 million rubles on fabricated charges of alleged cooperation with Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate and sabotage of two railway sections on the occupied peninsula.
▶ The occupation “Supreme Court of Crimea” upheld an unlawful fine of 50,000 rubles against human rights defender Rustem Kiamiliev, who expressed dissent against the actions of Russian occupying forces.
▶ Crimean resident Appaz Kurtamet, unlawfully sentenced by Russia to seven years in a maximum-security penal colony on fabricated charges of allegedly financing Ukraine’s Armed Forces, was illegally transferred to the Pskov region.
▶ An occupation “court” unlawfully sentenced residents of Sevastopol to 12, 8, and 2 years in a maximum-security penal colony on absurd charges of “supporting Ukrainian nationalist ideas” and organizing a cache of weapons and ammunition.
▶ Crimean political prisoner Teimur Abdullaiev, unlawfully sentenced by Russia to 16.5 years in a maximum-security penal colony, was placed in a punishment cell for 15 days on December 12. His health continues to deteriorate rapidly; he suffers from hypertension, severe headaches, and issues with his vision, stomach, liver, and teeth. Additionally, he lost hearing in one ear in early December due to otitis.
▶ Crimean imam Raif Fevziiev, unlawfully sentenced by Russia to 17 years in a maximum-security penal colony, was removed from Pretrial Detention Center No. 3 in Novocherkassk, Rostov region, and transported to an unknown location.
▶ Crimean Tatar historian Seitumer Seitumerov, who was unlawfully sentenced by Russia to 17 years in a maximum-security penal colony, met with his family in a Russian prison in Vladimir for the first time in a year. His physical condition has worsened during his imprisonment: he has lost weight, is pale due to a lack of vitamins, and has limited access to fresh air. Additionally, the prison administration consistently restricts his access to independent information.
▶ An occupation “court” in Sevastopol sentenced Oksana Senedzhuk to 15 years in a penal colony on fabricated charges of allegedly transferring data about the locations of occupying forces on the peninsula to Ukrainian intelligence.
▶ Muslim Aliiev, unlawfully sentenced to 19 years in a maximum-security penal colony, was placed in a solitary punishment cell for 15 days for performing namaz (prayer).
▶ Since December 10, representatives of the occupation administration have cut off electricity to the apartment of visually impaired activist Ihor Nikitenko in Dzhankoi as a means of psychological pressure, despite no outstanding debt. The family’s appeals have been ignored, and the occupiers have yet to return a previously confiscated smartphone and computer.
▶ The condition of Osman Seitumerov, unlawfully sentenced by Russia to 14 years in a maximum-security penal colony, continues to deteriorate in detention. He suffers from recurrent gastritis attacks.
Forcible conscription:
▶ At least 1,642 Russian soldiers from units based in occupied Crimea have been killed, 1,107 of whom were likely Ukrainian citizens. The actual number of casualties is believed to be higher as Russia conceals actual losses.
▶ At least 98 servicemen from occupied Crimea, most likely Ukrainian citizens, have been confirmed as captured.
Militarization of the Crimean Peninsula:
▶ Agents of the ATESH movement continue to gather intelligence on the occupiers’ strategic military facilities and defensive structures in Crimea. In Sevastopol, reconnaissance was conducted at the 91st Ship Repair Plant of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which is engaged in restoring the technical readiness of the occupiers’ vessels. Additionally, at the military airbase in Novofedorivka, agents documented the construction of protective structures for aircraft, the presence of specialized equipment, air defense systems, and the exact number and types of aircraft. Furthermore, new defensive structures, depots, shooting ranges, and storage facilities for specialized equipment and other weaponry were identified in the Chornomorske area.
▶ Over the past week, the occupiers have intensified the construction of protective structures at military facilities. Specifically, at the Belbek airfield, the construction of ten reinforced concrete shelters for aircraft has been observed, designed to protect aviation assets from explosions and shrapnel. In addition, lighter frame shelters are being built at group parking areas where combat aircraft are serviced and armed.
Propaganda of the occupation administrations and incitement to hostility:
▶ The occupying forces in Crimea continue systematic efforts to restrict free access to independent information. Many users have reported losing access to YouTube, Viber, WhatsApp, and other resources without VPN services. However, the occupying administration is also attempting to hinder the operation of VPN services by blocking them or significantly reducing internet speeds when used.
▶ The occupying administration continues the forced expropriation of real estate from Ukrainian citizens in Crimea. This week, the occupying “court” ruled to forcibly strip a resident of the Dnipropetrovsk region of ownership rights to a plot of land near Sevastopol, using fictitious legal pretexts.
▶ For 2024, the occupying forces issued six administrative protocols against the Crimean Tatar newspaper Qırım. Additionally, security forces broke into the newspaper’s office, conducted multiple raids, and carried out searches at the homes of the newspaper’s founder, Seyran Ibrahimov, and its chief editor, Bekir Mamutov.
Civil Resistance:
▶ A 58-year-old resident of Turhenivka village in the Bakhchysarai district, Asan Buberdzhi, supported Ukraine’s Defense Forces and spoke critically of the occupying forces and their collaborators in the occupied peninsula. Security forces detained him, and his case has been transferred to the “court.”
▶ A resident of Saky used social media to criticize the actions of Russian occupying forces. After being detained by security forces, he was fined 40,000 rubles by the occupying “court.”
▶ Pavlo Siuziev, a 27-year-old resident of the Bakhchysarai district, expressed support for Ukraine’s Defense Forces and condemned Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territories, referring to the occupiers as “rusnia” on social media. He was detained by the occupiers, who forwarded his case to the “court.”
▶ Activists of the Yellow Ribbon movement continue their resistance against Russia’s occupation of Crimea, demonstrating unwavering commitment to Ukraine. They encourage peninsula residents to participate in nonviolent forms of protest, such as distributing Ukrainian symbols, leaflets calling for resistance, and reminders that Crimea remains an integral part of Ukraine. Despite constant threats of persecution by the occupying administration, the activists persist in their underground activities, including destroying propaganda materials that promote Russian narratives. This week, celebrating Christmas and New Year, they held actions near the Salhyr River, downtown Simferopol, and on the streets of Feodosiia.
▶ Activists of the Crimean Combat Seagulls movement tirelessly expose collaborators and Russian war criminals on the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea, risking their lives daily. They meticulously gather and transfer valuable information about these individuals’ residences, movement routes, financial transactions, and connections with the occupying administration. Additionally, the activists organize clandestine resistance actions, distribute leaflets with Ukrainian symbols, and uncover criminal schemes involving collaboration between traitors and occupiers.
▶ Activists of the Zla Mavka female movement continue to fight for rights and freedom on the occupied Crimean Peninsula, turning its streets into centers of resistance. Through patriotic graffiti, stickers, and leaflets, they express the indomitable Ukrainian spirit, shattering the illusion of total control by the occupying administration. Their activities aim to expose Russian propaganda that distorts reality and draw attention to human rights violations in the region. These brave women inspire Crimean residents and stand as symbols of resilience, reminding everyone that the struggle for freedom continues and the liberation of Crimea is inevitable.
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!