Early trip from the Ukrainian capital, to Crimea was easy — it was enough to take the train to the Crimean capital of Simferopol.
Now that the Crimea is Denis coming home from Kiev, he first sits on the bus that goes to the border. After the Ukrainian border control it with your bags is just under a kilometre to the border, controlled by the Russians. From there it continues its way again to the bus.
A troublesome crossing of the border brings a lot of inconvenience to Denis, who regularly travels from the Crimea to Kiev and back at work.
“I don’t care — the Ukrainian Crimea, or Russian. But it would be good if relations between the two countries has improved, because to cross the border difficult, and other problems also arise”.
Ukraine has three border point of communication with the Crimea, and other routes it does not recognize. The Russian representative at the Eurovision song contest Julia Samoylova was not allowed to Ukraine, as it had previously entered the Crimea in other ways.
“It would be quite another thing if she went to the Crimea through Ukraine”, — tells Tamila tasheva from the organization “Crimea SOS”.
The organization helps residents of the Crimea and to refugees from there.
Two passports
On the border Denis shows his Ukrainian passport, but it has and Russian. He got them when he came for treatment to the state hospital, was injured on the bike, but due to the lack of a passport he was denied assistance.
According to him, that now to have two passports — a common occurrence. Tasheva confirms that in the Crimea it is difficult to get social services without a Russian passport. But a Russian passport is not at all.
“The issuance of Russian passports in 2014 was chaotic, and many residents of the passport could not be obtained”.
Ukraine does not recognize passports issued in Crimea, but the possession of such a passport to any consequences does not.
Russia really wants to put down roots in the Crimea. Denis says that for three months he was absent, was erected to the design of the new terminal at the airport of Simferopol.
Also moved to Crimea many Russians, especially soldiers, says Denis. American news website Eurasianet.org in January wrote that at least 150 thousand people moved to the Crimea after the annexation, mainly from Russia. Approximately the same number estimated to have left the Peninsula.
According to “Crimea SOS”, the number of immigrants may reach 500 million, of which a small portion came from the East of Ukraine, and the rest — from the Crimea. According to Caseway, there is no accurate data, as the settlement of occupied territory is regarded as a crime against international law.
Ukraine also conducts propaganda
“Crimea SOS” help the Crimean Tatars and supporters of Ukraine, which testify to the political pressure and kidnappings.
Tasheva itself — Crimean Tatar. She no longer travels to the Crimea, as fears that it will be delayed because of her work.
Denis political pressure faced. Like most Crimeans, Russian is the native language for Denis, but the Ukrainian he also taught. He has sympathetic friends of Ukraine, which do not raise too much fuss over their beliefs. Denis doesn’t want to appear in the article under her full name, as the subject is very painful.
In the Crimea Denis are surrounded by Russian propaganda, which States that an unstable Ukraine is impossible to live. But Ukraine is propaganda.
“They reported, for example, about the shortage in the Crimea food, though no problems with it was not.”
Hometown of Dennis who suffer most from the reduction in the flow of tourists from Russia. Rest in the Crimea now not so cheap, because the price level close to Moscow.
“Salaries are the same — completely not Russian, and below”.
