Rise after a Fall

We Were Waited For

We Were Waited For

Enraged and furious people from the whole Crimean peninsula started gathering. Twenty thousand men and women set off to protect their home, crying out jodie calls and holding posters with slogans that would then become their life credo: “Crimea is Ukraine” But near the Verkhovna Rada of the Crimea we were already waited for by foes. At least ten thousand Kuban Cossacks relocated from the Russian Federation as they said, as tourists. They were to provide armed support to the relocated civilians. These people were rapidly distributed in all towns and settlements, but many stayed in the capital to “conquer” it.

They were reinforced by local special police squad “Berkut”, those who rampaged, beat and killed protesters in the Kyiv Maidan. The Crimean teams were considered the most cruel, since they had long sympathized with Moscow. The majority of separatists were paid string puppets, the so called “titushki”, who functioned as “expendables” during all the hot stages of the conflict. In total there were at least five thousand Russians around the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea. They did not conceal their presence and purpose, which were transparent, clear and evident — to occupy and annex the territory of the appealing peninsula.

These masses were standing in a semicircle near the entrance door to the building. Their task was to prevent the interruption of the ongoing parliament session at any cost. On the other hand, the invaders were preparing a bloody provocation, which was to justify further ground invasion of troops. The roof of the building was full of journalists, who were certainly attracted by the event. Dozens of cameras of various RF media were preparing the evening portion of propaganda for their public.

They included those who came to stand for the integrity and independence of Ukraine, mainly Crimean Tatars. There were many ethnic Ukrainians, but still the main attacks were against the indigenous people of the Crime. The Russians insulted them and racially abused them by shouting such typical of our neighbors words as Wogs! Gooks! Skibbies! The Russians did their best to provoke Crimean Tatars to attack. All this was further heated up by increasingly numerous Russian flags.

When glass jars, bricks and sticks were thrown at us, and the opponents started using pepper spray balls and truncheons, it was impossible to keep standing any longer. The wave attacked. It caused a jam. The crowd tried its best to push away the occupants from the invaded territory. Everything happened relatively bloodlessly, the front cordon tried to prevent any possible clashes and fights, and for those who were injured a live corridor was organized to reach safety freely. These activities lasted for at least three hours, after which the Russians had to retire. We were full of euphoria. At that time it seemed we had won. The session was terminated and the local authorities were reminded that their time was limited and nearly running out. The representative body of the Crimean Tatars Mejlis ordered to stand down, and everybody rushed to their homes. Near the building there still was a group of expelled separatists; in fact, they had not gone away. It was also obvious that all of them would come back to their positions right after our departure...

On coming back home, I switched on Russian television to listen the way the events of the day would be presented. I revealed absolutely coarse, non-refined and unbelievable lies. Clear manifestation of absurdity. It was at that moment that I realized what the word propaganda meant.

Reports of all central media were identical. From all sides you could hear symmetrically the same message. The highlights from different places, different time with streets aflame, “Molotov cocktails”, blood and murders. All this was accompanied with the same fraudulent wording: “Ukrainian nationalists are gathering from all Ukraine to start g******e of the Crimean people and destroy all Russian speaking population. Our brothers are under threat!” That was the introductory accord of the war.

That night special forces of the Russian Federation were relocated to the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea and seized all administrative buildings, where on roofs they hang Russian flags. The invaders seized military bases, took over airports, banned all roads leading to the peninsula. The streets were patrolled by masked people in camouflage uniforms. Nobody was wearing any identifiers on their clothing, but each inhabitant of the Crimea understood perfectly well who they were and where they were from.

From that day on it became dangerous to be Ukrainian. We turned into enemies. Hunting for us started. Streets were full of young strong well-built men. Under the security of the masked terrorists they were deploying Russian flags in streets, removed and destroyed national symbols of Ukraine, trying to show who the master was now. Showing off their weapons, this mob did not frighten us. Vice versa, it united us even more, encouoraging to act.