07 January 2025
WEEKLY UPDATE ON THE SITUATION IN OCCUPIED CRIMEA ON JANUARY 7, 2025
Main news of the week
▶ On December 31, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine destroyed an aerial target for the first time in the world using a Magura V5 maritime drone. During a battle in the Black Sea near Cape Tarkhankut in temporarily occupied Crimea, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed by R-73 SeeDragon missiles.
▶ Due to the environmental disaster caused by the accident of two Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait on December 15, many kilometers of fuel oil pollution reached occupied Sevastopol, located in the southwest of the Crimean Peninsula. The fuel oil leak has already killed 32 dolphins. The pollution continues to spread and may go beyond the waters of the Crimean Peninsula. Preliminary information indicates that the accident was caused by the Russian side’s failure to comply with technical requirements for maritime safety, particularly using river vessels on the high seas in stormy conditions. The environmental disaster is a consequence of Russia’s disregard for international safety standards.
Crimes committed by the Russian Federation
▶ As of January 2025, Russia has illegally imprisoned 218 people in occupied Crimea on ethnic, religious, and political grounds, including 132 Crimean Tatars.
▶ Illegally sentenced to 13 years in prison, Crimean political prisoner Rustem Seitmemetov was assigned the third group of disability after heart surgery. In May 2024, Seitmemetov suffered a myocardial infarction, after which he underwent heart bypass surgery. A few months later, the man’s condition deteriorated, and the administration of the penal colony in Salavat took him to the prison hospital. Currently, the Crimean resident needs to be examined annually to confirm the diagnosis and extend his disability group. In addition, the political prisoner continues to suffer from high blood pressure and cataracts of the eyes, which did not exist before his unlawful arrest. Based on the medical examination results, the man was prescribed medications. Still, most were not included in the list of those allowed in the Russian colony, which may have worsened Seitmemetov’s health condition.
▶ Teimur and Uzeir Abdullaiev, illegally convicted Crimean Tatar activists, are being held in critical conditions in a Russian colony in Salavat, Bashkortostan. Upon his arrival in the colony five years ago, Teimur was immediately transferred to a punishment cell arbitrarily and has been held there continuously since then. His stay in isolation is regularly extended under the pretext of fabricated charges. Systematic violations of the conditions of detention have already caused severe damage to the brothers’ health. Teimur suffers from a hypertensive crisis, chronic joint pain, kidney and gastrointestinal dysfunction. Teimur often faints due to the unbearable conditions and lack of proper medical care. Regardless of his acquired heart disease, the colony administration also continues to unreasonably place Uzeir in a punishment cell despite the health risks.
The use of occupied Crimea as a springboard for attacks on Ukraine and the militarization of the peninsula
▶ According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian occupants conducted a series of attacks on the territory of Ukraine during the week. In particular, 111 attack UAVs of the Shahed type and unidentified drones, 3 ballistic anti-aircraft guided missiles 5V55/48N6DM, and 1 Iskander-M ballistic missile, including from the territory of occupied Crimea and the Black Sea. The Russian invaders destroyed residential buildings, resulting in civilian casualties.
▶ Activists of the ATESH movement revealed a Russian ammunition depot near the village of Dobrushyne. The movement of enemy equipment and personnel was recorded near the facility. In addition, the activists discovered a new location of the Russian military in a sanatorium located in the Saky district. A lot of heavy military equipment, personnel in military uniforms, and reinforced security were spotted on the territory of the sanatorium. Russian invaders continue to hide behind civilians, placing their equipment in the resort area, surrounded by residential buildings. The activists passed all the information to the relevant Ukrainian services.
▶ Residents of occupied Crimea recorded a massive deployment of Russian military equipment from Yany Kapu to Armiansk and further to the occupied territory of the Kherson region. Flatbed KAMAZ trucks with cargo, fuel trucks, electronic warfare stations, and other equipment, the types of which were being identified, were spotted. In addition, 152-mm D-20 howitzers were transferred.
▶ Crimean activists report on the locations and duty schedules of two Pantsir-S1 surface-to-air missile and gun systems near occupied Sevastopol. One of the SAMs is on duty on Zelena Hill in Inkerman. Periodically, the radar antenna of the complex is rolled up into a stowaway position. The crew of this particular Pantsir was notable for shooting down the Russian Su-27 in March last year when the fighter jet was battling Ukrainian drones. The Su-27 then crashed into the sea. The second Pantsir is located near the Yalta Ring Road junction. The position’s equipment was marked here, and an excavator and trucks were working. There is also a false position with a mock surface-to-air missile and gun system nearby.
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion and spread its armed aggression throughout Ukraine, occupied Crimea has been used by Russia as a military base for spreading aggression in various forms. From the peninsula, the occupiers continue to launch attacks on the territory of Ukraine, including on civilian infrastructure.
The resistance movement of Ukrainian citizens in occupied Crimea
▶ Russia has already prosecuted 1,126 people in occupied Crimea for expressing solidarity with Ukraine, who are being subjected to administrative penalties in the form of illegal fines and arrests.
▶ A resident of Simferopol shouted the Ukrainian patriotic slogan “Glory to Ukraine” in one of the city’s bars. The occupiers detained the man, filed an administrative report, and sent the materials to the “court.”
▶ In occupied Yevpatoriia, a man played and sang Ukrainian songs. In 2014, after the illegal occupation of Crimea, he refused to accept a Russian ID. The occupation forces illegally detained the man, filed an administrative report, and sent the materials to the “court.” He is currently being illegally held in a temporary detention center.
▶ Activists of the Yellow Ribbon movement extended their greetings to Ukraine on the New Year from occupied Crimea, emphasizing that the resistance continues. The activists also distributed symbols of resistance in occupied Yalta, Yevpatoriia, Simferopol, and Sevastopol, reminding that Crimean residents have not lost hope and belief in Ukraine’s victory and de-occupation of Crimea. In addition, activists reported that during the New Year’s holidays in occupied Crimea, drunken Russian soldiers were quarreling and fighting in public places, often with the use of weapons.
▶ Activists of the Crimean Combat Seagulls movement extended their greetings to Ukraine on New Year’s Day. They reminded residents to stay away from Russian military facilities in Crimea because of possible attacks on the invaders.
▶ The Zla Mavka resistance movement continues to publish diaries about life’s realities in the occupied territory. In addition, the activists wished Ukraine a Happy New Year and emphasized that everyone who remains under occupation has a common desire to see Ukraine liberated.
The full-scale invasion was marked by a rapid increase in solidarity and resistance actions by residents of occupied Crimea against the Russian occupiers. Residents of occupied territories unite in resistance movements, such as Yellow Ribbon, Crimean Combat Seagulls, Zla Mavka, and ATESH, or act individually. To suppress the resistance movement of residents in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea after February 24, 2022, the occupiers actively began prosecuting and bringing Ukrainian citizens to administrative responsibility under the article on the so-called “discrediting the Russian army.”
De-occupation of Crimea is integral to ending the war and restoring peace. Ukrainians are doing everything they can to stop the aggressor and protect the entire world from Russia’s criminal actions. This is not a local or regional issue but a threat to the world and international order.