Crimean Politics

Please do not think me to be foolhardy for carrying on with preordained travels into what would turn out to be a potentially hazardous land. I carefully considered my actions, being as informed as possible from multiple sources, before making moves. If you are a worrier and can't get past this perhaps it's best to just skip along to another entry - or hang tight for the Quest for the Marble Cave.

When I arrived in Ukraine, specifically Kerch, the Ukrainian government in Kyiv had already essentially been toppled. Upon crossing the strait separating Russia from Ukraine I began utilising what little Ukrainian I know, unaware that this being the state of Crimea Russian is still the language of the land. My history and politics lessons picked up quickly as it soon became all anyone was concerned with. To brief you, this area was gifted to the Ukraine in 1954, then merely a symbolic gesture as all fell under the heading of the Society Union. Even with the fall of the Iron Curtain the significance was little as the two countries remained closely allied and Russia retained its strategic military bases in the region. It was not until the recent revolution in Kyiv where the government was replaced for trying to turn away from a deal with the EU to maintain its ties with Russia that the relationship then became severely strained. Further complicating the situation is that the majority of locals identify with Russia despite living in the Ukraine and are fed Russian propaganda, primarily via Russian TV, that tells them the new government is full of fascists and Nazis (I kid you not).

My first night in Kerch I met a young local fellow who ranted about Ukraine being strong and rich enough to support itself and I knew better than to stir the pot with contradictory information I had read in there news. My stay here was fine, politically uneventful though the night before I was to leave all of the restaurant and bar patrons and employees were closely tuned in to the introduction of the new government to a mostly agreeable Maiden crowd.

The day before I was to move to Simferopol I read about opposing protests outside its legislative buildings. Accounts said it was mostly civil and free of violence but that tensions were high. Only minutes before my bus was to depart did the news of the armed take over of the building reach me. Obviously unsettling I spent the hours on the bus traveling into the darkness of night fretting about the scene I would arrive at and whether I would have to traverse any dangerous scenes. I decided with this new information that instead of staying in Simferopol as planned I would take up residence in the neighbouring village of Alushta - one of my day trip destinations. As fortune should have it my bus was early to Simferopol, still after dark considering the sun sets at 5:15 due to Kyiv time, but early enough that people would still be around and they were. Furthering my good fortune as I attempted to ask where to get a bus ticket to Alushta in broken Russian the two young people I approached responded in English! They too were headed on the same bus and invited me to sit with them. One was a local who now lived in Kyiv but was visiting home while the other was from East Ukraine and now called Yalta (south of Alushta which is south of Simferopol, all in Crimea). Supremely curious I cautiously broached the politics of the day by mentioning my change of plans and they eagerly took the bait. They were all for the revolution and despite their Russian backgrounds did not side with the common sentiment of the Crimean state which is that Russia is ruler - so much so that they admitted to arguments within their own families based on their beliefs.

Arriving on the bus to Alushta they expressed concern over me heading to an unknown hotel in an unknown town in the dark. If the locals were concerned then I figured I should be as well and wavered only long enough for the trolley doors to close before deciding to take them up on their offer to stay at one of their apartments in Yalta.
After we arrived to their place another friend came over and there was much discussion in Russian which they explained away by saying 'politics'. Despite the obvious interest they didn't seem to want to dwell on it in my presence.

The next day was completely normal with respect to politics despite having read of further rising tensions in other cities in Crimea. See 'A Nearly Perfect Travel Day' post to show just how secluded I was. Mind you at dinner they translated that a friend who worked at the local television station told them it had been taken over by people with guns but that it was done civilly and they had been asked not to talk about it but to return the following day to assist in broadcasting an interview at 6 pm. He refused to provide more details.

My plan for the next day was to go to Sevastopol and visit a former secret Soviet submarine base turned museum. However just before bed my host told me of planned protests in that city for the next day, and if it was enough to spook him it was enough for me as well. Surely when I awoke the news confirmed this as well as more alarmingly that troops of unknown origin had entered the city, complete with video of a flock of military helicopters coming in to land. I altered my plans and instead went to the mountains (Marble Cave I) where my political exposure was limited. The lady in the tiny village I passed remarked that she was considering returning with her husband to St. Petersburg after two years away due to the political instability. Furthermore the couple who drove me out of the mountains took a more relaxed view. It is just rich, powerful people employing actors but there is nothing to worry about. Though I agreed with part of their sentiment I couldn't wave away the potential threat and referenced a few contradictory things but when they responded anecdotally "my father was in Sevastopol today so it must be safe" I gave up on them.

That evening when meeting with more friends there was still much discussion, though some of it was lighthearted and jokes were made, it was obviously on everyone's mind. The TV station employee was present but skirted my questions. I spoke of my hopes to still make it to the submarine museum and a couple of them agreed to accompany me which was fantastic and exciting. However when I checked again the news had worsened, with downright frightening photographs of armed patrols and vehicles in the specific suburb of the museum. One article even specifically noted the sign taped to the museum door "closed for technical reasons" hypothesising the anti submarine watercraft nearby might have something to do with it. This was also the first evening I received a direct email from the Canadian consulate asking me to "consider leaving while it is safe to do so" in obvious reference to the local airports being surrounded by unknown armed men in military uniforms that had essentiality grounded all flights.

We made other plans but each new place we went or person we met had some mention. My first overt sign was as we walked along the main seashore strip and an army tent flying Russian flags was erected in front of the statue of Lenin (found in nearly every Russian or Crimean town). Nobody mentioned the elephant right in front of us and even when I brought it up little was said. Later that day when I met some other friends separately they said they had approached to investigate but would only tell me that the things they read on their signs were not good.

Having begrudgingly given up on the subs I resigned to return to the mountains but even the tiny village of Perevalne had conflict. At first I read of the standoff at the Ukrainian military base I hadn't seen on my visit two days earlier which was surrounded by Russian troops and that one shot fired had the potential to start an all-out war. Later articles reported an uneasy truce had been called where the Russians removed their clips and the Ukrainians backed off their vehicles. By the time I climbed the mountain across town and could view it from afar there was no sign off any  movement or that the Russians had been there at all. The only other tie made was that the electricity was out in the few buildings in the mountains which people blamed on the revolution under their breath.

As of now there is no conclusion. I tend to think that the revolution in the Kyiv government is a good thing as the ousted president was almost unanimously hated and the Russian government he attempted to side with is commonly considered corrupt. The situation in Crimea is particularly delicate as the common people no longer feel at home while both governments obviously have vested interests in this remarkably beautiful region for more than its tourism. Yes, the locals may feel abandoned without Russian support but Putin should absolutely not be engaging in this militarily. I do hope that for the sake of the citizens that this is resolved diplomatically and that the violence seen thus far does not become a minor precursor to anything much more grave.