Even after years under occupation, Crimea has not lost its voice. Despite arrests, interrogations, and constant pressure, it endures. The Ukrainian language still echoes through the streets of the peninsula, national identity lives on in people’s hearts, and culture is passed down within families, despite all efforts to erase it. Every day, Crimeans engage in quiet but steadfast resistance — consciously, at personal risk, and with deep faith in truth, dignity, and their Ukrainian belonging.

As part of the special project #resistance_movement, in collaboration with the National Resistance Center, we share the stories of those who refuse to let the enemy erase Ukraine’s presence from our land.

The occupation administration continues its attempts to eliminate all traces of Ukraine: national symbols are disappearing, Ukrainian schools are being shut down, and individuals are persecuted for their language and beliefs. The so-called law on “discrediting the Russian army” has become a tool to silence dissent. And yet, the peninsula does not remain silent.

Every act of resistance — whether a drawing, a leaflet, or a word written on a wall — is part of a vast network of defiance. Below are examples of the most recent manifestations of this struggle:

• An occupation “court” fined a resident of Sevastopol 45,000 rubles on fabricated charges of “discrediting the Аrmed forces of the Russian Federation” for social media comments critical of the occupiers.
• A local woman was sentenced by the occupation administration to a two-year suspended sentence with a two-year probation period and was banned from managing web resources, following accusations of criticizing the occupiers on social media.

The underground resistance in temporarily occupied Crimea has long surpassed isolated acts of protest — it has become a coordinated and organized movement, which intensified significantly after 2022. A resilient community of citizens has emerged, acting deliberately, systematically, and bravely. They disseminate accurate information, document the occupiers’ crimes, carry out nonviolent actions, and pass critical intelligence to Ukrainian forces. Each of their actions sends a clear message: Crimea has not surrendered, Crimea is resisting, Crimea is an integral part of Ukraine.

• Agents of the ATESH movement continue their active resistance against the occupying forces on the peninsula. This week, they conducted reconnaissance of the Balaklava Bay and documented the clearing of the area near the entrance to the former underground submarine base (Object 825 GTS): barriers were dismantled, debris removed, and the entrance to the tunnel opened. Activity was also observed in nearby buildings, which may indicate preparations to reuse the facility as a storage site for ammunition, a shelter for naval drones, or a command post. In addition, the agents recorded attempts to jam communications near the airfield close to the city of Saky — likely an effort to protect against strikes by Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
• The Yellow Ribbon resistance movement remains active and is gaining momentum. Participants tirelessly return the symbols of freedom to everyday life in occupied Crimea: they place protest leaflets, hang yellow ribbons, and leave slogans on walls to ensure the truth is not forgotten. These are not mere symbols, but a means of reclaiming space where the message rings out clearly: “Crimea is Ukraine.”
• The Zla Mavka women’s initiative continues to capture the reality of occupation not only through numbers or facts, but through emotions and the daily experiences of people. Through texts, artistic interventions, and visual imagery, they tear down the veil of silence that the enemy seeks to impose. This is a soft yet unwavering response to the informational darkness.
• Members of the Crimean Combat Seagulls resistance group continue to carry out strategically important work — in-depth analysis, documentation of crimes, and exposure of collaborators with the occupation regime. Their efforts represent meticulous and systematic labor dedicated to preserving the truth and preparing for the moment when accountability will come. This is the intellectual front that strengthens the overall resistance.

As of 23 June 2025, at least 221 individuals remain behind bars due to politically motivated persecution by the Russian occupation administration. Among them are 133 Crimean Tatars, charged with fabricated offenses such as “terrorism,” “extremism,” or “treason.” These repressions are part of a broader strategy by the occupiers aimed at suppressing any form of resistance, restricting fundamental rights, and displacing the indigenous population from the peninsula. Prisoners are subjected to torture, psychological pressure, and isolation from the outside world. Yet even under such inhumane conditions, they maintain their inner strength, standing as enduring symbols of dignity, resilience, and the fight for freedom. Recent developments further reinforce this truth:

• The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained a resident of Sevastopol for a social media comment in which he expressed support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ strikes on occupying troops in Crimea and Russia. During a search, the occupiers confiscated his computer and opened a criminal case. The man faces up to seven years in prison.
• Occupation security forces also detained Ihor Kachurets, a resident of Alushta. He is accused of allegedly filming the operation of air defence systems and transmitting the footage to Ukraine, as well as criticising the actions of the occupying forces on social media. The case has been referred to a so-called “court.”
• Another resident, a 44-year-old from the Simferopol district, was detained on charges of passing information about transport infrastructure and the locations of military sites to the Security Service of Ukraine.
• In addition, the Russian FSB reported the detention of two more Crimean residents. They are accused of “treason” for allegedly collecting and sharing photo and video materials of critical infrastructure and Russian military equipment with representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine. Their cases have also been sent to occupation-controlled “courts.”

The resistance movement in temporarily occupied Crimea is not only surviving — it is growing stronger. This is reflected in the increasing pressure exerted by the occupation administration. As of 26 June 2025, at least 1,435 cases have been recorded under Article 20.3.3 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offences, submitted to so-called “courts” and other repressive bodies. In 1,236 of these cases, fines have already been issued or consolidated rulings made, while 95 cases are still under consideration. Gender-wise, 607 rulings (49.1%) were issued against women and 628 (50.9%) against men. The situation in Armiansk is particularly alarming: in the first half of 2025 alone, 148 cases were opened there, accounting for half of all proceedings (296) submitted to occupation-controlled “courts” in Crimea during this period.

We sincerely thank everyone who, despite fear, pressure, and risk, remains loyal to Ukraine. Every gesture is a symbol of strength: a word in Ukrainian, a ribbon on a bag, writing on a wall, a post on social media. These seemingly small things are part of a daily struggle — a signal that says: we are here, we have not surrendered.

Under the threat of fines, searches, and arrests, every act of dissent becomes an act of courage. You are our pride. Crimea resists.