Russian Crackdown on Crimean Tatars Highlights Nine Years of Occupation in Crimea

Nine years after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, the plight of the Muslim minority in the region is highlighting a crackdown by the Kremlin. The Crimean Tatars, who ruled the peninsula from the 15th to the 18th centuries, made up 12 percent of the area’s population of 2 million before the annexation.

In February, satellite imagery showed a substantial Russian build-up of equipment and armor at several points across the peninsula. Rights groups are raising the alarm about what they call Moscow’s persecution campaign, pointing to alleged reprisals against members of the Tatar community in Crimea because of their loyalty to Kyiv.

The Ukrainian military has been carrying out attacks in Crimea with two goals: harass the Russian Black Sea fleet and disrupt vital Russian supply lines. This is part of Ukraine’s effort to make Russia’s occupation as uncomfortable as possible.

The conflict in Crimea is very different from the one in the eastern Donbas region. It is a war of night-time explosions, sabotage and disinformation. Russia is going to great lengths to fortify the peninsula, which they illegally annexed in 2014.

The Crimean Tatars’ struggle to reclaim their historic homeland is ongoing, and the international community is watching closely to see how the situation develops.