During the occupation of the Crimean Peninsula in February-March 2014, the Russian Federation made the main bet on several population groups of the region to create an image of \u201cmass support for the return of primordially Russian Crimea to its historical homeland\u201d – Russian speaking population, \u201cSoviet\u201d and combined (so-called Soviet-Russsian, consisted from not only ethnic Russians) identity representatives. All other identities were considered \u201cuncomfortable\u201d for the Russian aggression in Crimea.
That is precisely why, after the occupation and the spread of its legislation to the peninsula, the Russian Federation began a policy of persecuting the peninsula\u2019s disloyal pro-Ukrainian and Crimean-Tatar population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the declaration in the \u201cConstitution of the Republic of Crimea\u201d of three state languages – Russian, Ukrainian, and Crimean Tatar, and Ukrainians as one of the ethnic communities on the territory of Crimea, Russian is entirely dominant in Crimea. Attempts to publicly use Ukrainian are interpreted as a disloyal political position, and any manifestations of love for Ukraine, its language, and culture are presented as manifestations of \u201cradical nationalism\u201d. There is nothing Ukrainian in education, information sector, religion, freedom of speech, and rights to peaceful assembly in Crimea. Any public actions that could contribute to preserving Ukrainian culture on the territory of Crimea are prohibited. All persons who publicly spoke either in Ukrainian or showed their pro-Ukrainian position were under investigation, systematic pressure was applied to them, and their families and friends were threatened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n