To mark the Resistance Day to the Occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol and the 10th anniversary of the mass rally of Crimean Tatars organized in support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the Museum of War hosted the event “Crimean Resistance”. The participants and guests of the meeting were Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians who witnessed or took part in those events.
The Director General of the Museum, Yurii Savchuk, opened the event. He emphasized the importance of the fact that Crimean Tatar voices are heard within the walls of out institution. Museum employees have always been dedicated to preserving the history of the Crimean Tatars. They have continuously focused on this goal through their various projects, which explore topics such as the 1944 Deportation and the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Additionally, they have shared stories about Crimean Tatar political prisoners and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Ilmi Umerov, joined the event. As a participant in the struggle against the annexation of Crimea by Russian troops, it was not easy for him to recall the events of February 2014. During the February 26 rally, Umerov highlighted that the population of the autonomy was against the Russian authorities, which reflected the real mood on the peninsula that was visible to the whole world. The protesters managed to destroy the Kremlin regime’s plan to annex Crimea through a staged vote in the local parliament, and then the aggressor used force and deployed troops.
Rustem Skybin, a ceramist, cultural activist, and the Honored Master of Folk Art of Ukraine, characterized Russian expansion methods. Both in Soviet times and today, the occupying power is trying to subjugate enslaved nations and erase their cultural heritage. The aggressor captures and wrecks significant places, cultural heritage, language, and religion and physically destroys the unconquered. Now, the artist is trying to restore what was lost for the Kyrymly. He has also developed patches for the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, combining Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian symbols. Rustem Skybin handed over a set of brassards to the Museum’s collection.
The event was attended by the relatives of Gennadiy Afanasiev, an activist of civil resistance to the Russian occupation of Crimea, political prisoner, and soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His mother, Olha; his wife, Liudmyla; and his daughter, Kvitoslava, remembered Gennadiy as a true patriot and a courageous man. Even after the terrible torture in the Russian prison cells, he stated in court that all his testimony was given under pressure and recanted it. With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He fought in the 130th Battalion of the 241st Brigade and died on December 18, 2022, in Luhansk region. His family handed over his personal belongings to the Museum, asking to sign a petition to award Gennadiy Afanasiev the title of Hero of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Balukh, a Ukrainian civil activist and political prisoner of the Putin regime, was invited to the event. The Crimean citizen recalled not only the rallies and riots against the establishment of Russian authority but also, among other things, shared his observations that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine began in 1992, albeit took different forms.
He also told a well-known story about the Ukrainian flag on his house. In describing the story, Volodymyr Balukh emphasized an essential detail: no resident tried to remove or protest against the flag. The security forces removed the Ukrainian symbol.
Ismail Ramazanov, the Crimean Tatar Flag over Crimea campaign organizer, told the story of another, but no less symbolic, flag. In 2021, and 8 x 16-meter flag was made in Kramatorsk, which traveled to the cities of Ukraine and collected wishes for Crimeans. Later, it was launched on balloons across the administrative border between free Ukraine and the occupied peninsula. After the activist raised the flag over Crimea, the wind carried it back to them. This is how the slogan “The flag has returned—Crimea will return” appeared. The flag was handed over to the Museum for temporary storage during the event until the de-occupation of the Crimean peninsula.
The head of the Museum, Yurii Savchuk, made the closing remarks. During his speech, he reminded us that the fight for Ukraine continues and asked for a moment of silence to honor the fallen in the war daughters and sons of the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar peoples.
The struggle goes on!
