Main news of the week:

▶ On December 31, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine shot down two Mi-8 helicopters belonging to Russian occupation forces over the airspace over occupied Crimea.

Invaders’ crimes:

▶ As of January 6, 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 health condition of Rustem Seitmemetov, who was unlawfully sentenced to 13 years in a maximum-security penal colony, continues to deteriorate rapidly. He was hospitalized in a prison medical facility, where doctors prescribed medication that is unavailable in the colony. Moreover, following a heart attack suffered in detention and a subsequent coronary bypass surgery, he was assigned a third-degree disability status. 

▶ The occupation “court” in Sevastopol issued unlawful sentences to three local residents based on fabricated charges of allegedly storing weapons and explosives. Additionally, the occupiers labeled them as “supporters of Ukrainian nationalist ideology.” Two were illegally sentenced to 12 and 8.2 years in a maximum-security penal colony, while the third received a suspended 6-year sentence along with a fine of 13,000 rubles.

Forcible conscription:

▶ At least 1,657 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 101 servicemen from occupied Crimea, most likely Ukrainian citizens, have been confirmed as captured.

Militarization of the Crimean Peninsula:

▶ Agents of the ATESH resistance movement continue to gather intelligence on the occupiers’ strategic military sites and fortifications in Crimea. Near the village of Dobrushyne in the Yevpatoriia district, agents discovered a concealed ammunition depot on the outskirts surrounded by fortifications. The active movement of military equipment and personnel near the depot indicates its significant importance to the enemy.

▶ Over the past week, the positions and duty schedules of two Pantsir-S1 air defense systems belonging to the occupying forces have been identified in the Bakhchysarai district of Crimea. One system is located on Zelenyi Hill in Inkerman, and the other is near the Yaltynske Kiltse Road near Sevastopol.

▶ Open-source reports indicate large-scale redeployment of Russian military equipment toward Yana Kapu and Armiansk. Observed movements include KamAZ trucks carrying cargo, fuel tankers, electronic warfare (EW) stations, and other equipment. Additionally, there are reports of the transfer of 152-mm D-20 howitzers.

Propaganda of the occupation administrations and incitement to hostility:

▶ As a result of the environmental disaster caused by the collision of two Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait on December 15, pollution has reached the area of Kapsel Bay, where fuel oil contamination has spread across two kilometers of the coastline, leading to a mass death of marine animals. According to open-source data, the bodies of 32 dolphins have already washed ashore.

Civil Resistance:

▶ A 49-year-old resident of Yevpatoria, Vitalii Kirpach, was listening to Ukrainian music in public when he was detained by agents of the occupation administration. His case has been referred to the “court.”

▶ A resident of Simferopol, Dmytro Morozov, was detained by the occupiers after shouting the national slogan “Glory to Ukraine” in a city bar.

▶ Activists of the Yellow Ribbon movement continue their determined resistance against Russia’s occupation of Crimea, displaying unwavering loyalty to Ukraine. They call on the peninsula’s residents to join non-violent resistance efforts through the dissemination of Ukrainian symbols, creation of patriotic graffiti, organization of flash mobs, and removal of the occupiers’ propaganda materials. Despite the risk of persecution, the activists restore Ukrainian memorial signs, conduct informational campaigns, and remind everyone that Crimea remains an integral part of Ukraine, inspiring others to fight for its liberation.

▶ Members of the Crimean Combat Seagulls movement persistently expose collaborators and Russian war criminals in the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea. Risking their lives daily, they meticulously document and transmit crucial information about the residences, movement routes, financial dealings, and connections of these individuals with the occupation administration. Additionally, the activists organize clandestine resistance actions, distribute leaflets with Ukrainian symbols, and uncover criminal schemes of collaboration with the invaders.

▶ Activists of the Zla Mavka movement relentlessly continue their struggle for rights and freedom on the occupied Crimean peninsula, transforming its streets into hubs of resistance. Through patriotic graffiti, stickers, and leaflets, they demonstrate the indomitable Ukrainian spirit, undermining the illusion of the occupiers’ total control over the peninsula. Their work aims to expose Russian propaganda, which distorts reality, and draw attention to regional human rights violations. These courageous participants inspire Crimean residents, symbolizing resilience and reminding everyone that the fight for freedom continues and the peninsula’s liberation is only a matter of time.

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!