Twelve years of resistance to the temporary occupation of Crimea continue, beginning with various protests across the peninsula and the historic pro-Ukrainian rally on February 26, 2014.
The Russian Federation began its military aggression in Sevastopol. On February 20, 2014, during a visit to Crimea by Vladislav Surkov, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, a convoy of APCs left Kozacha Bay in Sevastopol — where the 810th Marine Brigade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet is based — heading out of the city.
The following day, Russian authorities explained this by stating that the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea was placing its units on a “heightened security alert due to the complex political situation in Ukraine.” It was stated that marine units were to reinforce the security of Russian military bases not only in Sevastopol but also in other regions of Crimea.
Every year on February 26, Ukraine marks the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. This date commemorates the largest resistance rally held outside the walls of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, explained that on February 26, Moscow intended to use an extraordinary session of the Crimean parliament to create a “glamorous image” suggesting that Crimeans were allegedly “asking to join Russia.”
On that very day, Russia failed to implement its “peaceful scenario” for annexing the peninsula through a parliamentary vote, and by the following morning, it launched a military operation, seizing the building of the Parliament of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
On the occasion of the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, Olha Kuryshko, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, delivered an address.
When we say that the aggressor must not receive any reward for the war, so that peace can truly last, everyone must understand – these are not just words. Unfortunately, the world already had the chance to verify this twelve years ago.
Russia’s war against Ukraine began with the occupation of our Crimea, and the world effectively turned a blind eye to this. The leaders back then showed little interest in the protests and resistance in
Crimea and in Ukraine’s overall sentiment. The world advised Ukraine to stay silent. That is exactly why [accused by the International Criminal Court of war crime
Vladimir] Putin came to believe he could wage a much larger war and confront the West even more aggressively.
Now, every year on February 26 – the Day of Resistance to the Occupation of Crimea – we remember this global lesson, honouring those who did not stay silent and did not falter in the face of Russian aggression, and we insist that holding the aggressor accountable for war is one of the strongest security guarantees – one of the strongest prerequisites for lasting peace.
I thank everyone around the world who supports us in this, participates in the work of our
Crimea Platform, and other international formats that remind the world about Crimea and the meaning of its occupation by Russia.
I thank everyone who helps Ukraine resist Russian repression in Crimea, assists us in returning people from captivity, and prevents the occupying regime from consolidating its power.
Russian presence on our peninsula serves only war, and nothing else. There must be peace; therefore, Crimea is Ukraine, and the world must always recognize this fact.
Qırım evine qaytmalıdır!
Glory to Ukraine!
