Main news of the week:
▶ On December 7, Ukrainian Navy maritime drones struck gas platforms in the Black Sea that had been seized by Russia.
▶ During the night of December 6, the Security Service of Ukraine’s “Sea Baby” maritime drones successfully conducted an operation in Kerch Bay, targeting a barge carrying military equipment and materials for repairing the so-called “Crimean Bridge,” as well as damaging helicopters belonging to Russian occupation forces.
▶ Ihor Kolykhaiev, the mayor of Kherson abducted by Russia in June 2022, is being held by the occupiers in the basement of a secret FSB prison in Simferopol, where he is subjected to physical and psychological torture.
Invaders’ crimes:
▶ As of December 9, 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).
▶ 1,093 cases were filed under Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation in so-called “courts” in occupied Crimea. In 955 cases, administrative fines or combined rulings were issued. Proceedings continue in 42 cases.
▶ An occupation “court” sentenced a 45-year-old resident of Kerch to 15 years in a maximum-security penal colony on fabricated charges of allegedly cooperating with Ukrainian intelligence services and providing coordinates of the occupiers’ air defense systems.
▶ Emil Dzhemadenov, unlawfully sentenced by Russia to 11 years and 6 months of imprisonment, is facing a rapid deterioration of his health in a Russian penal colony. Over four years of incarceration, he has lost significant weight, his eyesight has worsened, his teeth are deteriorating, and prolonged exposure to cold has caused severe joint pain.
▶ The health of Teimur Abdullaiev, illegally sentenced by Russia to 16 years and 6 months in a maximum-security penal colony, continues to deteriorate. He suffers from ear pain and hearing loss due to complications from a viral infection, along with stomach, liver, and dental issues, hypertension, and severe headaches.
▶ An occupation “court” in Crimea is set to review the fabricated case of a 56-year-old resident of Yalta accused by the occupiers of allegedly passing information about Russian troop movements to the Security Service of Ukraine and serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
▶Rustem Seitmemetov, unlawfully sentenced to 13 years in a maximum-security penal colony, was hospitalized with complaints of heart pain. His current whereabouts remain unknown. Seitmemetov was previously held in a correctional colony in Salavat, Bashkortostan, where he was transferred in July 2024. He last contacted his family on October 7.
▶ Aider Dzhepparov, illegally sentenced to 17 years in a maximum-security penal colony, is experiencing severe health problems, including heart and stomach issues, while being held in a colony in Russia’s Arkhangelsk region. He is confined to a World War II-era barrack with mold and harsh conditions and denied medical care and basic necessities.
▶ A court in Krasnodar, Russia, sentenced a Yalta resident to 14 years in a maximum-security penal colony with an additional one-year restriction on freedom. The fabricated charges allege he passed information to Ukrainian intelligence about the movement of Russian Air Force aircraft near Sochi.
▶ Political prisoner Asan Akhtemov, unlawfully sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment, is rapidly losing his eyesight due to inadequate lighting in the “Vladimir Central” prison and suffers from knee problems. Due to insufficient nutrition and dietary restrictions based on his religious beliefs, he eats less than others, and his teeth are nearly completely destroyed.
▶ An occupation “court” sentenced a resident of Feodosiia to 15 years in a maximum-security penal colony with an additional 1.5 years of restricted freedom on fabricated charges of “treason” for allegedly supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
▶ The occupiers extended the detention of civic activist Volodymyr Ananiev for two months. Russia accuses him of planning to sabotage vehicles belonging to representatives of the occupation administration
▶ An occupation “court” sentenced a resident of the Kerch district in Crimea to 13 years in a maximum-security penal colony with an additional 1.5 years of restricted freedom on fabricated charges of “treason.”
Forcible conscription:
▶ At least 1,453 Russian soldiers from units based in occupied Crimea have been killed, 950 of whom were likely Ukrainian citizens. The actual number of casualties is believed to be higher as Russia conceals actual losses.
▶ At least 79 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 document increasing military activity by the occupiers in Crimea. In the Yevpatoriia district, a base for occupation forces has been identified at a resort in the village of Marine, housing URAL armored vehicles, quad bikes, and motorcycles. Additionally, agents have recorded the establishment of new firing positions and observation posts by the occupying forces. New real and decoy defensive positions have also been identified in the Yevpatoriia district, including positions equipped with anti-drone weapons.
▶ The occupation administration plans to install 230 additional boom barriers in the waters of Sevastopol.
▶ The occupiers continue to strengthen security around the so-called “Crimean Bridge,” fearing further strikes by Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Construction is underway on a third tower for deploying air defense systems. The first two towers, equipped with Pantsir-S1M systems, were identified in late September 2024.
Propaganda of the occupation administrations and incitement to hostility:
▶ The occupation administration continues systematic efforts to isolate Crimea from independent access to information. This week, mass disruptions were again reported in occupied Crimea and Sevastopol, particularly affecting the functionality of the Viber messenger.
▶ Due to the negligence and inaction of the occupation administration, the energy crisis in Crimea is rapidly worsening, leaving over 10,000 residents without stable electricity. On the evening of December 2, a power outage in Yalta left more than 3,000 people without electricity, including nine transformer substations and 1,455 supply points. The following day, December 3, part of the city again lost power. Similar outages occurred in other settlements, including Yedi-Kuyu, Zavodske, Kalynivka, Kara-Kuyu, and Semenivka in the Kerch district. Meanwhile, the occupation administration continues to make loud claims about having the “situation under control.”
Civil Resistance:
▶ A 24-year-old resident of Konotop, Yevhen Poskrebko, expressed criticism of Russian occupying forces on social media. The occupation administration detained him, forced him to publicly apologize on camera, drafted a protocol, and transferred his case to a “court.”
▶ Activists of the Yellow Ribbon movement continue their persistent resistance to the Russian occupation of Crimea, demonstrating extraordinary courage and loyalty to Ukraine. They call on local residents to engage in nonviolent resistance through various forms of protest, including distributing Ukrainian symbols and leaflets across towns and villages on the peninsula. These materials encourage resistance and remind everyone that Crimea is Ukraine. Despite the constant risk of repression and persecution by the occupation administration, activists engaged in clandestine operations, including destroying propaganda materials aimed at imposing Russian ideology. This week, they held actions in Sevastopol, Simferopol, Yevpatoriia, Yalta, Kerch, and Dzhankoi in honor of the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
▶ Activists from the Crimean Combat Seagulls movement relentlessly expose collaborators and Russian war criminals in temporarily occupied Crimea. They gather and disseminate information about their residences, travel routes, financial operations, and connections with the occupation administration. Operating under strict secrecy and despite the risks of repression, they build informant networks, organize underground protests, distribute leaflets with Ukrainian symbols, and reveal schemes of collaboration between local traitors and Russian security forces.
▶ Activists from the Zla Mavka movement continue their struggle for freedom on the occupied peninsula, turning city streets and villages into hubs of resistance. Through patriotic graffiti, stickers, and leaflets, they shatter the illusion of occupier control and remind everyone of the indomitable Ukrainian spirit. Their efforts combat Russian propaganda, which promotes a distorted reality, and draw attention to human rights violations in Crimea. Despite the risks of repression and arrests, these activists inspire their compatriots and prove that the fight for freedom continues, becoming symbols of resilience and hope for Crimea’s return to Ukraine.
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!