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Ukrainian army enters Crimea; fear and anxiety grow among pro-Russian residents

Duration: 3:57 565 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

The ongoing Ukrainian offensive has brought the conflict directly to Crimea, significantly altering life on the peninsula where Russian authorities illegally annexed the region in 2014. Since late June, Ukrainian drones have targeted approximately 300 Russian air defense systems alongside military installations and critical infrastructure such as power and water supply facilities. These relentless strikes have caused tourist numbers to plummet to nearly zero, transforming a once-popular summer destination into a zone of fear and anxiety for pro-Russian residents who now hear the constant sound of drones overhead every night. The human impact of these attacks is profound, with local businesses suffering severe losses and closing down due to the deteriorating situation. A local businesswoman noted that while people initially panicked, they have gradually become accustomed to the drone sounds, yet the overall environment has worsened dramatically. This crisis is compounded by a dual blockade: Ukraine's physical restriction of fuel and energy supplies, combined with an information blockade imposed by Russian authorities that prevents accurate news from reaching the population. Consequently, there are no prospects for the future, and essential preparations for winter are completely absent despite expensive urban improvement projects continuing in the background. Despite the hardship faced by many, a significant portion of the population holds secret hopes for liberation. According to experts, about one-third of Crimea's residents remain pro-Ukrainian, while another third support Russia, with the remainder waiting to see how the fighting unfolds. Pro-Ukrainian citizens experience hidden joy and cautious optimism that Russian dominance might eventually end, often expressing their feelings through subtle gestures like hugging or exchanging meaningful glances. Ukrainian officials, including Commander Robert Madyar Bravdy, have apologized for disrupting local life but emphasized that these strikes are crucial for ending the war, noting that faster support from Western allies could allow for even more frequent attacks on deep-seated targets in Russia. The psychological toll on pro-Russian residents is intensifying as statements from occupation authorities create a growing sense of betrayal and abandonment. Many locals feel they have been lied to for years, leading to increased tension and a stark discrepancy between official government narratives and the harsh reality on the ground. Experts warn that while Russian forces are adaptable and savvy adversaries, they were not prepared for the intensity of the current campaign. As the war draws closer to Crimea than ever before, the peninsula faces an uncertain future where the gap between political promises and lived experience continues to widen, leaving residents in a state of heightened anxiety and uncertainty.

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Ukrainian attacks on temporarily occupied Crimea are increasingly impacting life on the peninsula. Pro-Russian citizens are experiencing fear and anxiety, while pro-Ukrainian citizens are secretly celebrating the attacks and hoping for an end to the Russian occupation, writes the Christian Science Monitor. As noted in the publication, at the end of June, Ukrainian drones attacked approximately 300 Russian air defense systems for the first time, after which they continued to strike military targets, as well as power and water supply facilities throughout Crimea. As Ukraine's offensive brings the 4.5 year old war closer to the peninsula than ever before, pro-Russian residents are growing increasingly fearful and anxious, while pro-Ukrainian residents, in their own words, cautiously are hopeful that Russian dominance might one day end, the publication writes. The Crimean peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, was a popular summer vacation spot for Russians. This season, tourist numbers there have dropped to almost zero. Almost every night we hear the sounds of drones flying overhead. At first, people panicked, but over time, they got used to it, the Crimean businesswoman said. According to her, the situation has undergone a dramatic change for the worse. Many businesses [music] are suffering significant losses and closing, and there are no prospects for the future. [music] She added that the fuel and energy blockade imposed by Ukraine is being amplified by the information blockade imposed by the Russian authorities. The successes in the ongoing campaign in Crimea are one of the few pieces of good news for Ukrainians, along with successful strikes by Ukrainian drones and cruise missiles on deep-seated targets in Russia, which have driven up fuel prices and allowed Russians to experience the effects of war firsthand for the first time, the publication writes. Commander of the Ukrainian unmanned systems forces Robert Madyar Bravdy apologized to Ukrainian residents of Crimea for the disruption of their way of life caused by these attacks. In early August, he told the Associated Press that strikes on Crimea could play a significant role in ending the war. He claimed that Ukraine could have struck seven times more targets in Crimea if the support promised by its Western allies had been delivered more quickly. Six months ago, no one could have even hoped for this, so they are surprised, says Serhiy Danilov, an expert on Crimea and deputy director of the Center for Middle East Studies in Kyiv. He says the Russians shouldn't be underestimated. They're adaptable and a very savvy adversary. At the same time, the expert adds, they weren't prepared for this at all. According to Danilov, a third of Crimea's residents are still secretly pro-Ukrainian. Slightly more than a third are pro-Russian, >> [music] >> and the rest are waiting to see which way the fighting turns. Ukrainian supporters are experiencing hidden joy. They hug or exchange greeting glances, says Danilov. Statements from representatives of the occupation authorities are exacerbating anxiety among pro-Russian residents. For the first time in all these years, they feel like they've been lied to, like they've been abandoned, and that creates a lot of tension, Danilov says. Residents of Crimea report a discrepancy between government statements and the reality on the peninsula. I don't think the authorities understand what's going on, the businesswoman says. She adds, there's absolutely no sign of preparation for winter. Meanwhile, expensive urban improvement projects continue. >> [music] >> Ooh.