• Human rights groups: Ukrainian language education has almost disappeared in the Crimea

    The Coordinator of the Crimean Human Rights Group, Olga Skrypnyk, stated that only one of seven Ukrainian schools is still working in annexed Crimea, Krym.Realii reported. According to Skrypnyk, Russia has manipulated the situation such that parents no longer wish classes to be taught in the Ukrainian language.

    “For example, there was a case in Yalta Ukrainian High School, when an employee of the City Education Department urged and intimidated parents to reject the use of the Ukrainian …

  • Media: British fighters escorted five Russian aircraft near Estonia

    On Wednesday, Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to escort Russian military aircraft that approached Estonia, reports the Daily Telegraph’s website. British fighter jets left their base in Estonia and intercepted two Su-27 fighter jets flying with IL-20 electronic reconnaissance aircraft. Two more Su-27 fighters were detected and also intercepted.

    The newspaper notes that Russian aircraft were flying in the international airspace along the northern and western borders of …

  • Police in Crimea warned the Deputy Head of the Mejlis about holding rally

    The Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars, Ilmi Umerov, has said that on the 17th of May 2016, he was visited by police who warned him that any activities planned for the 18th of May will not be allowed. The Mejlis had previously organized events to take place on Memorial Day in remembrance of the 1944 deportation of the Crimean Tatars.

    “I was referred to as the organizer of a public event. I then had to explain to members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia that on the …

  • Media: Missile warning system will be returned to the Crimea

    Russia intends to restore the Dnepr radar station, which is situated near Sevastopol. This new facility will house a missile warning system which will be able to detect ballistic launches, cruise missile launches and hypersonic missile launches from the waters of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. This was reported by the Izvestia newspaper, citing a source in the military-industrial sector.

    There are two ways to restore the station. The first option would be building it from the ground …

  • UN urges Russia to protect rights of Crimean Tatars on anniversary of deportation

    The United Nations has called on Russia to protect the rights of Crimean Tatars on the 72nd anniversary of their deportation by Soviet authorities, Radio Svoboda reported. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, noted that persecution of Crimean Tatars has increased significantly since Russia annexed the Peninsula in 2014. "Since April 2014, Crimean Tatars have been subjected to arbitrary searches, seizure of books, and arrest. Last year, the authorities shut down a number …