Under constant pressure and in the face of brutal repression by the Russian occupiers, our fellow citizens in temporarily occupied Crimea continue to demonstrate their unwavering faith in Ukraine. Their resilience is not only a reflection of hope for de-occupation but also a form of active resistance—fighting for a future in which Crimea will once again be free.

We continue to report on public sentiment in Crimea and highlight the voices of those dismantling Russian propaganda narratives in our regular column # resistance_movement in cooperation with the National Resistance Center.

The occupation administration systematically persecutes Crimean residents for supporting Ukraine, expressing Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identity, or criticising the Russian occupation and its military aggression. In 2022, Russia amended its criminal and administrative codes to introduce penalties for “discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” This has become yet another tool to silence activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens. The following cases were recorded this week:

• Crimean resident Fevziie Yakhiaieva was detained by the occupiers for reposting a news item about support for Ukrainians by residents of Hamburg and a video featuring a “Glory to Ukraine” sign. The illegal “court” found her guilty of “displaying prohibited symbols.”
• Anna Fedotova, a resident of Alushta, publicly criticized the occupiers in a messaging app, expressed support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and wished for Russia’s defeat. She was detained, forced to record a video apology, and charged under administrative protocols. The case materials were transferred to an illegal “court.”
• Yalta resident Aishe Askerova posted patriotic slogans and expressed support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine via a messenger app. She was detained by the occupiers, forced to apologize on camera, and charged under administrative protocols. Her case was handed over to an illegal “court.”
• Khalil Zarfeiev, a resident of the Kurman district, criticized the occupiers on social media and voiced support for Ukraine and the Armed Forces. He was detained, and an administrative protocol was filed against him. The case has been forwarded to an illegal “court.”
• A 29-year-old resident of Kerch was accused of allegedly contacting a representative of Ukrainian intelligence and gathering information on critical infrastructure used by the occupiers in Crimea. He was detained and charged with “state treason.” The court imposed pre-trial detention as a preventive measure.
• A resident of Dzhankoi was allegedly collecting and passing information to Ukrainian intelligence regarding the location of Russian military depots. He was detained by the occupiers, and the case was submitted to an illegal “court.”

Every day, organized resistance movements, which gained strength after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, demonstrate their resistance to the occupiers:

• Activists of the ATESH resistance movement continue to conduct reconnaissance of Russian military facilities and carry out sabotage operations. They recently identified a Russian Project 1124M Albatros small anti-submarine ship docked in Inkerman, where the occupiers are hiding it following strikes by Ukraine’s Armed Forces. According to the movement, ATESH now includes over 1,000 agents from Crimea who are actively gathering intelligence, conducting reconnaissance, and assisting in the destruction of enemy targets.

• Yellow Ribbon resistance activists continue their struggle against the occupiers in Crimea, dismantling propaganda materials and spreading patriotic symbols in Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yalta, Yevpatoriia, Feodosiia, Kerch, and Bakhchysarai. Activists also raised a Ukrainian flag atop Mount Basman.
• The Zla Mavka resistance movement continues its efforts, documenting the crimes of the Russian occupiers and exposing them to the international community, while simultaneously decorating cities in Crimea with patriotic symbols.
• Activists of the Crimean Combat Seagulls movement are systematically gathering and publishing information about collaborators and Russian war criminals in temporarily occupied Crimea.

As of March 20, the Russian occupation administration has illegally detained 220 individuals, including 133 representatives of the Crimean Tatar people, on fabricated charges such as terrorism, extremism, and treason. These actions are part of Russia’s broader campaign of repression targeting Crimean Tatars and anyone who resists occupation or seeks to preserve their cultural and national identity. Recent cases highlight the severity of these repressions:

• Marlen Mustafaiev, unlawfully sentenced by Russia to 17 years in a penal colony, is currently being transferred to Krasnoyarsk. The transfer process may take a month or longer.
• Vladyslav Afanasiev, illegally sentenced by Russia to 15 years on fabricated charges of “state treason,” remains in pre-trial detention and is preparing for transfer. The occupiers are effectively denying him medical care—he is reliant on volunteers to deliver even basic medications, which is extremely difficult due to high costs and logistical restrictions.
• Crimean Tatar human rights defender Riza Izetov, unlawfully sentenced by Russia to 19 years of imprisonment, reported poor detention conditions at Penal Colony No. 1 in Yakutsk. He is being held in a High-Security Confinement Cell in a four-person cell measuring only eight square meters, currently housing three prisoners.
• Ruslan Mesutov, unlawfully sentenced by Russia to 18 years in a high-security colony, was transferred to a hospital after four months in severe conditions and punitive isolation cells. Despite repeated episodes of unconsciousness, untreated hepatitis, and severe spinal pain, the occupiers denied him essential medical care for an extended period.

The growing resistance to the occupation in Crimea is also evidenced by the increasing number of illegal administrative proceedings in the occupation “courts” under the article on the so-called “discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” As of February 24, 2025, 1242 cases of materials drawn up under Article 20.3.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation were recorded in the so-called “courts” in temporarily occupied Crimea and other competent authorities. 

In 1101 of these cases, a decision was made to impose an administrative penalty in the form of a fine or to join the case to another case under another article and make a cumulative decision. In 40 cases, the materials are still being considered. Disaggregated by gender, 520 (47%) decisions were issued against women and 580 (53%) against men. In total, the aggregate amount of fines imposed has already amounted to at least 35,5 million Russian rubles.

We thank everyone for their courage and clear civic stance. Crimea is Ukraine, and we are struggling together to liberate Crimea as soon as possible and to return a sense of security to our citizens who are forced to live under occupation.

Glory to Ukraine!