A call during the occupation of Crimea: what Putin and Dzhemilev talked about

On March 12, 2014, at the beginning of the Russian occupation of Crimea, a telephone conversation took place between Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the leader of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Dzhemilev. The conversation took place on the initiative of the Russian president when Dzhemilev was in Moscow.

According to Krym.Realii, Dzhemilev said that during the conversation he directly told Putin that Russia had violated international law by sending troops into the territory of Ukraine. The politician emphasized that the Kremlin should withdraw Russian forces from Crimea, as their presence poses a threat to stability on the peninsula.

In response, Putin, according to Dzhemilev, insisted on waiting for the so-called "expression of the will of the Crimean people" - referring to the pseudo-referendum that Russia planned to hold in a few days. The leader of the Crimean Tatars emphasized that the representative body of the Crimean Tatar people had already decided to boycott the vote, and that the results would not be recognized by the international community.

Dzhemilev also drew attention to the contradictory position of the Russian leadership: the day before, Putin had publicly stated that there were no Russian troops in Crimea, while in the conversation he expressed concern about possible clashes between Crimean Tatars and the Russian military.

The phone conversation took place a few days before the illegal "referendum"on March 16, 2014, after which Russia announced the annexation of Crimea.

Earlier, Intent wrote how twelve years ago Russia began the occupation of Crimea, which was the first stage of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The first days of February 2014 were marked by attempts to forcibly establish control, arson, propaganda and attempts to legitimize the seizure of the peninsula.

According to available data, on February 20, 2014, the President of the Russian Federation ordered the start of the operation to seize Crimea. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine defined this date as the official beginning of the temporary occupation of the peninsula (Law No. 685-VIII of September 15, 2015). It is also indicated on the Russian medal "For the Return of Crimea", which was awarded to the military personnel who participated in the operation.

On the same day, snipers opened fire on Euromaidan activists on Instytutska Street in Kyiv. In the evening, the parliament adopted a statement condemning the actions of law enforcement officers that led to the deaths. With the mediation of European ministers and a representative of Russia, negotiations began between the authorities and protesters to end the confrontation and hold early presidential elections.

Андрій Колісніченко