‘Jamala glorified Ukraine and Crimea!’ — Crimeans on Jamala’s Eurovision win

 

Crimea, Culture

Article by: A. N.

Jamala’s win in Eurovision 2016 song festival brought a lot of joy, pride and happiness to people in all of Ukraine, but her victory was especially meaningful to residents of Russia-occupied Crimea where Jamala grew up and her family lives. Below are examples of their emotions and hopes collected from Twitter.

Please note that virtually all posts from Crimea are in the Russian language. Despite the claim by Kremlin propaganda that the Ukrainian state oppressed Russian speakers in Crimea, it was never true.

 

The Twitter user “Crimean” wrote: “This [Jamala’s song “1944“] is a song about the pain of a great people. This song is about the pain of all Crimeans who were robbed of their Motherland. We won here, we will win everywhere. Thank you, @Jamala!”

 

The user from Bakhchysarai, the ancient capital of Crimean Khanate, writes: “Thanks to everyone! This is the greatest day for Ukraine and Crimean Tatar culture. #Crimea will be free!”

 

A tweet from the prominent Crimean blogger “КРЫМский бандеровец” (“CRIMEAn Banderite”): “[Referring to the Ukrainian flags] A rare view on Russian TV. Below is how for Crimeans to vote [for Eurovision winner, showing #21 for Jamala].”

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Although this tweet did not come from Crimea, it made so many people in the peninsula happy and proud!!!

 

This Twitter user from Inkerman (a suburb of Sevastopol) says: “THANK YOU JAMALA! Glory to Ukraine! Crimea is Ukraine! We will win!”

 

Another Crimean Twitter user hidden under the handle translated from Russian as “Crimean Raccoons” wrote: “The hope of an IMMINENT return of Crimea has appeared… Thank you, Jamala.”

 

The next tweet from the Crimean Banderite says: “JamalaIsOurs!” in an ironic twist on the Russian propagandist hashtag “CrimeaIsOurs” used during Putin’s Anschluss of Crimea.

 

This tweet from another user in Sevastopol says: “The heart believed, but mind resisted! We won! Jamala is the best! Today is the Day of Commemoration of the Victims of Political Repressions, how full of symbolism! Glory to Jamala!! Glory to the Crimean Tatar people! Glory to Ukraine!”

 

The Crimean Twitter user under the ironic handle “Крымская хунта” (“Crimean Junta” – referring to Moscow propaganda’s claim that the post-Euromaidan Ukrainian government being a junta and not a legal government) tweeted a no less-ironic picture of the Russian foreign minister Lavrov with a caption: “Sergey Lazarev [Russia’s Eurovision entry] does not sing for us. He quit over a month ago,” referring to Russia’s practice to disown their soldiers when they are captured by Ukrainian forces.

 

The Crimean user “RoksolanaToday&Крым” pointed out that TV viewers from Russia also supported Jamala and attributes it to the residents of occupied Crimea: “This is how viewers in RF [Russian Federation] voted. 10 points comes from where, you know? You do. From Ukrainian Crimea.”

 

Zair Akadyrov writes: “This is the best of what could have happened in the past two years. Thank you, Jamala! Thank you, Ukraine! Thank you, EU! #Jamala Congratulations to everyone for the win!”

 

Another user from Sevastopol writes: “Jamala glorified Ukraine and Crimea!!!”

 

Mark Feygin, a Russian lawyer who defended Ukrainian helicopter pilot Nadiya Savchenko against fabricated charges in Russian court and a person who knows the Russian system of oppression from close and personal experience, wrote some very somber words: “It will not be an overstatement to suggest that the Kremlin will respond to Jamala’s win on Eurovision with new repressions in Crimea…”

 

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