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:

• The occupation “court” has unlawfully fined Kerch resident Iryna Khokhlatkina 100,000 rubles on fabricated charges of so-called “LGBT propaganda” due to social media posts.
• Following an illegal search of the Zubeir-Dzhami mosque in Staryi Krym, the occupiers fined the independent Muslim religious community Eski Qırım 400,000 rubles for allegedly distributing “extremist literature.” This is already the second such case — in March 2024, the community was also fined for possessing literature banned by Russia.
• A 37-year-old resident of Sevastopol was sentenced by the occupiers to 17 years in a maximum-security penal colony and fined 200,000 rubles on fabricated charges of allegedly sharing photos and information about the occupation military facilities on the peninsula.
• A resident of Simferopol was fined 50,000 rubles by the occupation “court” for standing in the city center with a sign reading “No to war.”
• The occupation “court” also fined 38-year-old Sevastopol resident Kateryna Fomenko 69,000 rubles for social media comments in which she criticized the actions of the occupying forces and expressed support for Ukraine, including strikes on occupation troops. Additionally, the occupation’s security forces have opened a criminal case against her for allegedly “publicly spreading knowingly false information about the use of the Russian armed forces” — a charge that carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Resistance in temporarily occupied Crimea has long since ceased to be limited to isolated acts of dissent — today, it is a structured, coordinated movement that has significantly intensified since the launch of Russia’s full-scale aggression in 2022. A united network of individuals operates across the peninsula, working in sync, fully aware of the risks, yet unwavering in their resolve. They wage an information struggle, document the actions of the occupiers, organize peaceful forms of protest, and transmit critical intelligence about the enemy to Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

Their actions are more than just acts of defiance. They are the voice of Crimea, ringing out clearly: we have not surrendered, we are standing firm, we are Ukraine.

• Agents of the ATESH movement continue their resistance against the occupying forces in Crimea. This week, they seized classified documents detailing the combat duty schedules of Russian Black Sea Fleet boats escorting the shadow fleet transporting oil. In addition, ATESH agents carried out a successful sabotage operation in the village of Uvarove in the Kerch district, destroying a relay cabinet on a key railway section connected to the so-called “Kerch Bridge.”
• The Yellow Ribbon movement also remains active in temporarily occupied Crimea. Activists regularly distribute leaflets with anti-occupation slogans, hang yellow ribbons at bus stops, on poles and fences, and leave messages on asphalt and buildings. In some cities, ribbons appear near administrative buildings; in others, near schools or markets. These actions are documented and shared through media, resistance channels, and archival platforms. The message is clear: the occupiers must see that they are not the masters of this land.
• The women-led initiative Zla Mavka works with personal accounts from local residents. They collect testimonies about searches, interrogations, disappearances, and daily censorship. Their work includes visual storytelling, such as illustrated quotes from eyewitnesses, audio recordings of personal stories, and short videos. They also organize online screenings of art projects that depict life under occupation, often from a female perspective. Their goal is to document the truth and make it heard where propaganda tries to silence it.
• The Crimean Combat Seagulls conduct systematic intelligence-gathering and verification work. They identify locations of military equipment and troop movements, collect personal data on those collaborating with the occupiers, including local officials and law enforcement. They compile registries of collaborators, analyze documents, and leak internal information. Some of the data is handed over to Ukrainian intelligence services; the rest is published as open-source reports.

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:

• Occupation forces detained Yevhen Blahodyr, a resident of Saky, for listening to Ukrainian music in his own home. He was accused of allegedly “disturbing public order,” and an administrative offence report was issued against him.
• Security forces of the occupation administration also detained a resident of Dzhankoi on fabricated charges of allegedly collaborating with Ukrainian intelligence services and adjusting fire on occupation targets. A criminal case was unlawfully opened against him.

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 are deeply grateful to everyone who continues to resist — even in the shadow of fear, despite the danger and repression. Every act, no matter how small it may seem — a Ukrainian word, a blue-and-yellow ribbon, a piece of graffiti, or a post on social media — carries power. These so-called “small things” shape the language of everyday resistance. They are a sign: we exist, we are unbreakable.

When every gesture can lead to a fine, a search, or an arrest, any display of dignity becomes an act of true courage. You are our strength. Crimea resists. Crimea is Ukraine.