Occupants opened more than 1300 cases in Crimea for discrediting the army

The occupation authorities in Crimea have intensified repressions against dissenters: since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, at least 1350 cases have been opened under the article on "discrediting the army". Almost half of them are against women.

This was reported by the press service of the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The Kremlin's repressive policy envisages punishment for any manifestation of Ukrainianness - from a comment on a social network to participation in human rights activities. For more than two years now, legislation on "discrediting the Russian army" has been in effect on the peninsula, which is used to suppress dissent. People are fined, searched, arrested and imprisoned for speaking out, singing, posting and even having sweets in their cells.

Last week, the occupiers added Crimean Tatar journalist and human rights activist Lutfiye Zudiyeva to the list of so-called "foreign agents". For criticizing the occupation, the local resident of Sevastopol was sentenced to one year in prison. Another resident of the peninsula, Oksana Senezhuk, was finally imprisoned for 15 years on charges of "high treason". Journalist Serhiy Tsygipa is being held in a high-security colony and regularly sent to the punishment cell - even an unbuttoned shirt can be a pretext.

More than 130 Crimean Tatars are already behind bars, often on trumped-up charges of "extremism" or "terrorism."

Despite this, Crimean residents continue to fight. Underground movements such as the Yellow Ribbon, the Wicked Nymph, the Crimean Fighting Seagulls, and ATES record repression on a weekly basis, distribute Ukrainian symbols, hold rallies, and pass information to Ukrainian security services.

According to the Center for National Resistance, as of May 13, 2025, the occupiers have opened at least 1,350 cases under the article on "discrediting the army," 49% of which are against women.

In the occupied peninsula, Russian security forces have intensified repressions against Ukrainians, detaining several locals in just one week and accusing them of collaborating with Ukrainian special services. In addition, on the eve of the anniversary of the deportation of Crimean Tatars, the occupation administration handed out warnings about "extremism" to activists and human rights defenders.

Анна Бальчінос