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How life changed in occupied Crimea in 15 numbers

Article by: Anna Cherevko
Source: Glavcom
Translated by: Mariya Shcherbinina
Throughout the nine months of occupation of the Crimean peninsula, the euphoria from returning to mother Russia has subsided significantly. Grey mundanity began in the ‘grey’ unacknowledged zone. Despite the fact that the so-called Parliament and other government bodies have been ‘elected,’ there is no more order on the peninsula. While Crimeans are waiting for the promised high salaries, pensions and good life, they are getting more of an insight on the prospects of existing within not the frame of the advertised Moscow-Petersburg realities propagated by Russian TV, but in the format of the outback. The high prices and problems with communication rid Crimea of a significant number of tourists, and it goes without saying that Ukrainians don’t travel to the peninsula at all. Throughout the first resort season under occupation, the number of tourists decreased by half. 

But there are some numbers that grew. For example, the number of people seeking emergency medical assistance grew dramatically: 29 thousand more than at the same time last year.

At the same time, another interesting number emerged in the media recently. According to experts, Ukraine may sue Russia for between 100 billion and one trillion dollars for the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas.

Glavcom gathered the 15 most eloquent numbers, the changes throughout the time of annexation.

19,5 thousand Crimeans

moved from the peninsula to the continent

Throughout the occupation of Crimea, almost 20 thousand people have left the peninsula. One-fourth of the refugees are children, and almost half – between seven and eight thousand, – are Crimean Tatars. Despite the fact that after the referendum many people concurred and remained to live under occupant government, the explosion of food prices, problems with water and electricity, the decrease of available jobs, made thousands of Ukrainian citizens to leave Crimea. Overall, according to the Crimean Statistics Service, the population of the peninsula under the annexation decreased by 377 thousand.

21 Crimean Tatars

were kidnapped in Crimea

Kidnappings and repressions against the discontented were documented on the peninsula since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Back then several pro-Ukrainian Crimean-Tatar activists were declared missing. Some were found dead afterwards. In time, such instances became more frequent. Against some, the new ‘government’ used the developed KGB methods in the form of ‘prophylactic conversation,’ others were treated worse. The recent data announced by the leader of the Crimean Tatars Mustafa Dzhemilev are shocking: 21 representatives of the Crimean Tatar people had been kidnapped. The cynicism of the occupants is staggering: the so-called law enforcement denies that such incidents happened and therefore refuses to investigate them.

Hundreds of searches

conducted by the Russian special services

Another method of fighting those who think differently are searches. Most frequently those subjected to them are pro-Ukrainian activists and Crimean Tatars. As the victims themselves claim, the searches are done with the goal of checking their homes for weapons or drugs. Most frequently, even if they find nothing, the men are taken to district precincts for questioning.

387 ‘governors’ of Crimea

are suspected of violating human rights

The work group for the investigation of the criminal actions committed by the occupational government on the territory of Crimea gathered a lot of materials and sent a list of 387 people suspected of violating human rights on the peninsula to the Office of the Prosecutor General (GPU) in Ukraine. It is known that in response, the GPU opened a number of criminal cases against the representatives of the occupational government who violated human rights and expropriated property.

Three thousand works of fiction

banned on the territory of Crimea

According to the official Crimean ‘government,’ one of the reasons of mass searches was the search for banned literature. At the moment the list of banned books includes almost three thousand publications. Most of them have to do with Islam, the Crimean Tatar culture and the history of Crimea. The occupational government, for example, included onto the list the works of Dzhalaleddin Rumi (a great Sufi poet, philosopher, whose heritage is guarded by the UNESCO). Besides, Ukrainian language books were also banned. Keeping such books is harshly punishable by law, several cases have already been drawn up in this regard.

88% of soil

with no irrigation

The Crimean government concluded that even if they dig up all of Crimea, they will be unable to survive the lack of water without Ukraine. There is a catastrophic deficit of underground and ground water, in order to cover the needs of the peninsula. Meanwhile the North Crimean channel which used to provide for 85% of Crimea’s needs, suspended its work. As a consequence, total economy was declared in Crimea. According to the State Committee for the Water Industry and Melioration of Crimea, this year the peninsula was able to irrigate only 17,7 thousand hectares out of 150 thousand.

Zero exchange points

will remain on the peninsula by the beginning of 2015

All exchange points will disappear from the Crimean peninsula. It looks like the local government has made peace with having no foreign tourists. Deputy head of the Bank of Russia Mikhail Sukhov concluded that most ‘tourists’ on the peninsula are Russians, therefore there is no need for a big number of exchange points. According to the norms of the Russian government, only structures that provide other types of bank services, so banks exclusively, can exchange currencies.

11,2%

lost by the economy of the annexed peninsula

The economy on the peninsula is entering recession. The profitability of agriculture, forest and fishing industries is at -5,3%, industry is as -12,5%, construction is at -27,8%, administrative services are at -36,6%, professional activity is at -25,9%, art, athletics and recreation are at -24,5%. The most unprofitable spheres are electricity and gas – with -61,1%. Besides, there are significant losses in chemical industries – -29%.

60,9%

is the decrease in capital investments

According to the Crimean Statistics Service, capital investments on the peninsula decreased by over a half. “The volume of investments in general capital generated by the businesses and organizations in the Republic of Crimea in January-September 2014 constituted 15252,3 million rubles, which is 60,9% lower than in January-September of 2013,” honestly declares the profiling website of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula.

Zero schools

with Ukrainian language of study remain on the peninsula

Ukrainian-speaking families which remained for some reason on the territory of Crimea are void of the right to choose their mother tongue as the language of study for their child. Recently the so-called Minister of Education of occupied Crimea reported that at the moment all Ukrainian schools were closed. Only several classes taught in Ukrainian remain in all of Crimea. The Crimean ‘government’ justified it with the fact that most parents do not tie the future of their children with Ukraine, therefore there is no need to learn this language.

96 out of three thousand media outlets

underwent registration in Roskomnadzor

In the beginning of autumn, the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) demanded that Crimean media outlets register and acquire Russian licenses. Together with this demand, new registration rules were published: only a media outlet owner with Russian citizenship, and under the condition that their editorial staff consists of Russian citizens, is able to receive a broadcast permit in Crimea. The deadline was also established – January 1, 2015. However, Ukrainian media in Crimea do not hasten to hide under the Kremlin’s wing. Earlier experts predicted the decrease in the number of media outlets on the peninsula and their transformation into a press service for the occupational government and the Kremlin. At the moment, out of over three thousand media on the peninsula, less than a hundred have acquired a Russian license. In response to such passivity, Putin regressed: he signed bills to extent the deadline until April and, what is more, abolished the state tax on the process of registration for Crimean media. It is not said how many were denied registration.

80%

is the decrease in direct investments in Crimea

Crimean Statistics Service data regarding direct investments are more moderate and are not followed by any conclusions. However, the statistics posted on the website evidences that in 2013 the peninsula received 176 million USD from fifty countries. Within three quarters of the current year, Crimea received a little over 25 million: 10 million in the first, 4 million in the second and 10 million in the third quarter. The number of investing countries decreased from almost fifty to six. Currently, economic relations with Crimea are maintained by Belarus, Uzbekistan, Belize, Guernsey, Cyprus and the Virgin Islands. The list is more than eloquent.

30% Ukrainian Orthodox Churches of the Kyiv Patriarchate 

have been taken away by the occupational government already

Since the beginning of the annexation of Crimea, the local government demonstrated in various ways to the representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church that they were not welcome. The temples were surrounded by mercenaries who called themselves the self-defense, and they did not let neither the clergy nor the congregation inside. Later, the temples were taken away from the Church. Crimean archbishop Kliment asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to ensure the equality of Churches. However, nobody heeded Kliment. Now it is said in Crimea that when Russian legislation is fully in effect, so starting the new year, the UOC KP may be deemed a foreign church and subjected to a number of torturous procedures, which are allegedly necessary to receive permission to remain on the territory of Crimea.

Zero rubles

is the salary of traitor policemen on the peninsula

The occupational government harshly ‘thanked’ the policemen who at the moment of occupation betrayed Ukraine and their oaths. Putin’s vassals are firing such policemen by the hundred, and not letting them work in the so-called law enforcement of Crimea. Some policemen humiliated themselves with re-attestation, however a final decision regarding their fate has not yet been made. At the same time, the example of their colleagues does not mean anything good. Most were void of their salaries and fired. In some district precincts they were even added to the list of personae non grata of sorts. Young men with guns who have to make sure these people do not come to the precincts, stand vigil by the door. Such ingratitude, according to Crimean media, led to nervous breakdowns in some former policemen.

Four thousand orphans

were illegally forced into Russian citizenship

The Crimean ‘government’ decided the fate of four thousand orphaned children on the territory of the peninsula. They were illegally rid of their Ukrainian citizenship and given Russian citizenship. Specialists claim that such a decision is unprecedented and violates children’s rights. According to article eight of the UN Convention on Children’s Rights, the children are guaranteed the right to preserve their individuality, including their citizenship.

Source: Glavcom
Translated by: Mariya Shcherbinina
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