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THIS DAY - February 26 - Day of Resistance to the Occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol

26.02.2021

This memorable date is relatively new, it was established in 2016, and this year it is planned to celebrate it on a larger scale. It was established on the anniversary of the protest of thousands of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians in the city of Simferopol in support of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. On this day in 2014 in Simferopol gathered representatives of the Crimean Tatar community, organized by the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, activists of the movement "Euromaidan Crimea", members of the NGO "Salvation Army", representatives of the Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists and ultras of FC "Tavria". The protesters opposed the holding of an extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea, where the issue of Crimea's separation from Ukraine could be raised. The forces of "Berkut" Police, which had already been disbanded at that time, mercenaries brought from all over the Crimea and "exported" from Russia, were used against them. As a result of clashes under the walls of the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea, two people were killed and several dozen were injured, but the extraordinary meeting of the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea was canceled. The next day, armed Russian special forces seized the buildings of the Verkhovna Rada and the Council of Ministers of the ARC. The occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation began. The Kremlin later opened criminal proceedings against Crimean Tatars in the so-called "February 26 case," and brutal persecution began. The victims of the political trial were Akhtem Chiygoz, Mustafa Degermenci, Ali Asanov and other Crimean activists.

Pavlo Polliul