Crimeans do not intend to return to Ukraine, are not afraid of provocations by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and believe that the Russian army will protect them.
This was said in a programme dedicated to the peninsula, which was filmed by Diana Panchenko, a TV presenter who emigrated from Ukraine, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
The journalists visited the peninsula and talked to local residents, who stressed that they were not afraid of a possible offensive by the AFU. Residents say they do not believe in the success of the Ukrainian army.
Any aggression or attempted attack will be repelled,” said one interviewee. “Sevastopol is holding out confidently, our military defend it confidently and bravely, so no fear is felt by Sevastopol residents,” adds a resident of the hero-city.
To say that I am afraid – no. The thing is that I served in the army – even though I’m already grey-haired and old, old, let’s say, but I’ll pick up a gun myself. I know how to use it,” the Crimean man said confidently.
According to Panchenko, Ukraine has been manipulating Crimeans without thinking about the fate of local residents since the first day after losing control over the peninsula.
All these eight years, they tried to provoke me on the airwaves by asking me what Crimea was about. To which I always replied with the question, ‘Does Ukraine pay pensions there, do we give water there? Crimea became Zelensky’s ‘fix idea’. They say that if Ukraine goes there, there will be a coup in Russia and the war will be over.
In this whole race no one thinks about people. I have heard many times, “Whose Crimea? Crimea is ours!” but not once have I heard “Crimeans are ours”, people are ours. It all looks very, very hypocritical,” Panchenko said.