Since the beginning of the occupation of Crimea in 2014, the persecution of Ukrainian citizens by the occupation forces has become systematic. In an attempt to justify their actions, the occupiers resort to accusations and bring Crimean residents to “administrative charges.”
Recently, there has been an increase in illegal prosecution for publishing the national symbols of Ukraine or other symbols that the occupiers consider to be “propagandizing Nazism or extremism.” Ukrainian citizens are being prosecuted for allegedly “propagandizing Nazism and extremism” under the Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation: “Propaganda or public demonstration of Nazi attributes or symbols, or attributes or symbols of extremist organizations, or other attributes or symbols, the propaganda or public demonstration of which is prohibited by federal laws.” The combination of this article with the so-called “discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” allows the occupation “courts” to impose more severe punishments: some citizens are sentenced to administrative arrests of up to 15 days instead of fines.
Those who display the Ukrainian flag or things in blue and yellow, the image of the trident, sing or listen to Ukrainian national or insurgent songs, mention the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, support the Armed Forces of Ukraine and volunteer battalions are equated with those who display actual swastikas, tolerate racism or belong to Russian criminal movements. Russians think that our citizens living with Ukraine in their hearts are the same as being an actual “Nazi,” “racist,” or “criminal.”
As of August 2024, Russian security forces in occupied Crimea have opened a total of 681 cases for so-called “propaganda of Nazism or extremism,” of which at least 101 cases are protests against the Russian occupation and in support of Ukraine. In the eight years before the full-scale invasion, there were nine such occurrences, and after the start of the full-scale invasion, there were at least 92.
Most “cases” concern the publication of symbols of Ukrainian organizations and military units from different historical periods. The most frequent cases in occupied Crimea involve persecution for demonstrating the symbols of the Right Sector, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, and the 12th Special Operations Brigade Azov. In some cases, people are prosecuted for listening to patriotic songs, such as “Chervona Kalyna” and others.
Among the most recent cases, we can recall the situation that occurred in July, when two brothers from the village of Morske, the Feodosiia region of occupied Crimea, stated on social media that they were waiting for the liberation of Crimea from the Russian occupiers, and had flags of Ukraine at home. The occupiers illegally detained the men for 15 days and sent them to a temporary detention center. A few days after that, in Sevastopol, a 31-year-old man used the Ukrainian patriotic slogan “Glory to Ukraine, glory to heroes” in a private conversation on a beach. Russian security forces drew up a “report” under Part 1 of Article 20.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation and illegally arrested the man for 12 days. Also, in early July, the occupiers detained a Crimean Tatar in the city of Bilohirsk, who posted posts on social media with Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar flags, tridents, and the patriotic slogan “Glory to Ukraine.” The man was accused of “propagandizing Nazism” and forced to apologize on camera, and the “materials” were sent to the occupation “court.”
A sharp increase in solidarity and resistance of the residents of occupied Crimea against the Russian invaders marked the full-scale invasion. Therefore, the relevant article became one of the tools to suppress this resistance.
In March 2022, the Russian Federation amended the Criminal and Administrative Codes, adding Article 20.3.3 on the so-called “discrediting the Russian Armed Forces”. “Decisions” under this article indicate administrative liability for publishing on social media, demonstrating slogans such as “No to war!”, comments supporting Ukraine, or even wearing clothes in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. As of the end of July, at least 913 cases were considered by the occupation “courts” under this article.
The occupiers are looking for new “opportunities” to systematically persecute Ukrainian citizens in occupied Crimea for any anti-Russian manifestations and resistance. Depicting Ukrainian national symbols or keeping a Ukrainian flag at home can lead to persecution by Russian security forces. They motivate their “decisions” by the fact that the national flag of Ukraine is present on the uniforms of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and therefore a public display of the Ukrainian flag or a combination of colors is allegedly the spread of “Nazism” and “discredits” the Russian Armed Forces.