Yesterday, the British Ambassador to Ukraine, Mr. Martin Harris, opened a room at his official residence in Kyiv dedicated to Crimea, its people, history, and culture. The room demonstrates the UK’s historical connections with the peninsula, particularly during the Crimean War, and emphasizes the UK’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
The opening ceremony of the Crimean Room was attended by the Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva, who delivered a welcoming speech and presented the Ambassador with a model of the Magura V5 maritime drone, which destroyed the largest number of Russian ships in the Black Sea during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
The Crimean Room is designed to honor the culture of Ukraine’s indigenous people, the Crimean Tatars. The British Embassy has specially commissioned traditional metal, ceramic, and fabric products from renowned Crimean Tatar artisans to showcase the peninsula’s rich and ancient culture.
The room also contains authentic medals from the Crimean War, loaned to the British Embassy by the Light Dragoons Regimental Museum. Among them is a medal posthumously awarded to a participant in the Light Brigade’s attack during the Battle of Balaklava.
Martin Harris stated:
This project I conceived after I arrived as Ambassador last year. Crimea is a part of Ukraine that is particularly important in British history. Our cities have memorials to the Crimean War and streets named after places in Crimea. I wanted to demonstrate this historical connection in my residence, as well as showcase the culture of the Crimean Tatar people, who have suffered from Russian repression for so long. The new Crimean Room at the British Ambassador’s residence in Kyiv highlights the United Kingdom’s firm support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and clear position: Crimea is Ukraine.
The Mission expresses its gratitude to the United Kingdom and personally to Ambassador Martin Harris for supporting Ukraine and for their consistent position on the de-occupation of Crimea and the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Such initiatives help to preserve the memory of the historical connections between our peoples, dispel the narratives of Russian propaganda, and contribute to the international community’s support of Ukraine’s struggle for freedom and sovereignty.
