24 March 2026
WEEKLY UPDATE ON THE SITUATION IN TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED CRIMEA AS OF 24 MARCH 2026
Main News of the Week:
▶ The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that on 17 March, the military struck the concentration area of a missile division of the 15th Separate Coastal Missile Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation. On 19 March, they also struck the Russian Innovation Centre of the “Granit” enterprise, which is part of the “Almaz-Antey” concern.
▶ A court in Warsaw agreed to extradite Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin. The Ukrainian side suspects him of illegal excavations in temporarily occupied Crimea.
▶ In the Kerch district of temporarily occupied Crimea, the Russian occupiers held military-patriotic events for schoolchildren. In particular, students participated in laser tag, learned self-defence, first aid skills, and the handling of small arms.
▶ In the “Artek” camp, a mobile park “Russia – My History” was opened, where children attended thematic events that covered the history of Crimea and Sevastopol from ancient to modern times in an interpretation favourable to Russia. The events took place in the format of interactive games, including film screenings, excursions, and the use of interactive technologies, particularly in VR format. In this way, the Russian occupiers shape a Russian interpretation of history and the present among the youth.
Crimes Committed by the Russian Federation:
▶ As of 11 March 2026, 286 individuals are subject to a policy of judicial persecution in the territory of temporarily occupied Crimea, 159 of whom are Crimean Tatars.
▶ The health of political prisoner Tofik Abdulhaziiev is rapidly deteriorating. In particular, according to his wife, the man’s blood sugar has risen, he speaks with shortness of breath, and cannot stand on his feet for long. Tofik was detained in 2019 for alleged involvement in the “Hizb ut-Tahrir” organisation. In 2022, the Russians sentenced him to 12 years in prison.
▶ Elvira Abzialova, abducted by the occupiers 2 years ago, has been transferred to Pre-trial Detention Centre No. 1 in Simferopol. Previously, the Russian occupiers accused her of “treason”.
▶ An occupation “court” denied political prisoner Ametkhan Abdulvapov’s lawsuit regarding his illegal transfer to the Irkutsk region after serving his sentence. In February 2022, Russian security forces conducted illegal searches and detained Ametkhan Abdulvapov. He was later accused of participating in the “Hizb ut-Tahrir” organisation, which Russia considers a terrorist one. In 2023, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
▶ Political prisoner Edem Bekirov, who was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment on fabricated charges, reports a deterioration in his health while being held in the pre-trial detention center in Rostov-on-Don. He suffers from fluctuations in blood pressure, heart problems, frequent colds, and persistent headaches. The facility where he is being held lacks proper conditions for medical treatment, and there is a shortage of medications, including antibiotics and immune-supporting drugs.
Use of the Territory of Temporarily Occupied Crimea as a Launchpad for Attacks on Ukraine and the Militarisation of the Peninsula:
▶ The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Russian occupiers carried out another series of massive combined attacks on the territory of Ukraine during the week. Specifically, they launched over 350 attack UAVs of the “Shahed”, “Gerbera”, and “Italmas” types, including from the territory of temporarily occupied Crimea and the Black Sea waters.
▶ On 18 March, the “Crimean Wind” monitoring group recorded the presence of ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the bays of Sevastopol. In particular, activists spotted one of the vessels likely involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain.
Resistance Movement of Ukrainian Citizens in Temporarily Occupied Crimea:
▶ Activists of the Yellow Ribbon movement reported that the Russian game “Ukrainian Warfare: Gostomel Heroes” is being imposed on schoolchildren in Sevastopol. In the game, a child controls paratroopers during the assault on Hostomel. In this way, the occupiers are raising a generation for whom the war against Ukraine will look like an ordinary game.
The full-scale invasion was marked by a sharp increase in acts of solidarity and resistance by residents of temporarily occupied Crimea against the Russian occupiers. Residents of the occupied territories unite in resistance movements, such as “Yellow Ribbon”, “Zla Mavka”, and “ATESH”, or act individually.
To suppress the resistance movement of local residents in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea after 24 February 2022, the occupiers began actively persecuting and subjecting Ukrainian citizens to administrative liability under the article on the so-called discrediting of the Russian army.
The de-occupation of Crimea is an integral part of ending the war and restoring peace. Ukrainians are doing everything possible to stop the aggressor and protect the entire world from Russia’s criminal actions. After all, this is not a local or regional problem; Russia’s aggression poses a threat to the entire world and the international order.