"For us, this is a holy war." A decade of Crimean Tatar resistance

1,230 years is the total term of imprisonment for more than a hundred people repressed by Russians in Crimea since 2014. The persecution continues. The commander of the volunteer battalion "Crimea" Isa Akayev believes that the worst thing is not even that Russia has annexed the peninsula, but what it is doing to its residents.

"They grind people on a mental level, and they lose their identity. People become different; they forget about their roots, culture, language, religion."

The commander stresses that the Qırımlı should return home with weapons in their hands.

According to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, as of February 2023, about 500 Crimean Tatars were fighting in the Ukrainian army. hromadske looked into how the Crimean Tatars continue their resistance and why they consider this war to be holy.

"There is an order from the Almighty"

Nariman Bilyalov, also known as Isa Akayev, is called the father of the “Crimea” battalion. He laughingly denies it: "No, I am not the father". Isa is the name of his son. Akayev is short for AK, which means "Kalashnikov assault rifle."

The Crimean left his native land in early March 2014. He was followed on the peninsula after a pro-Ukrainian rally in Sevastopol on February 26. When unknown people were at his heels, his friends insisted that he leave Crimea. Nariman recalls that everything was like in old classic spy movies.

I changed cars, exchanged jackets, bought a ticket from Simferopol, and boarded the train in another town.Isa Akayev, commander of the volunteer battalion "Crimea"

On March 16, 2014, when the occupation authorities organized their pseudo-referendum, Isa was already in Kyiv: "I did not participate in all this, unfortunately. Maybe now I would have acted differently. God knows." The father of many children evacuated his family at that time.

Later, he volunteered for the Dnipro-1 battalion, where he founded and headed the Crimea unit. Despite his lack of combat experience, he was in charge of the Battle of Savur-Mohyla and the defense of Mariupol in the summer of 2014.

After that, Isa returned to civilian life, settling in Vinnytsia Oblast. There, he was engaged in public activities, including the popularization of Crimean Tatar traditions. With the outbreak of the full-scale war, he took up arms again.

Now, the “Crimea” battalion is a special unit within Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence. There are Crimeans, Ukrainians, and Kabardians fighting there. They took part in battles in Kyiv Oblast, in Bakhmut, and other areas. Akayev believes that Crimean Tatars should return to Crimea with weapons in their hands.

For us, this is a holy war. The Koran says: "Fight those who have driven you from your homes."Isa Akayev, commander of the volunteer battalion "Crimea"

"When some people ask me why you are fighting, I answer that there is an order from the Almighty. It is our sacred duty," the Crimean said.

He added that it does not depend on faith, because different religions state that we must be able to defend ourselves. Isa quoted the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it's natural manure."

"Crimea really, really wants us back"

Today, one can find discussions on social media about the fate of Crimea after de-occupation: some are in favor of leaving it as an autonomous region, others are in favor of making it an oblast. Isa Akayev is convinced that it should be liberated first.

"Why talk now about something we cannot influence. I am on the side of autonomy, it is my wish. There are those who support me, and those who do not. This is democracy, this is pluralism of opinions. And we will defend ours," he said.

In conclusion, Isa said that those with whom he communicates are waiting for the return of the Crimean soldiers: "They are waiting for us there very, very much, they are happy about our victories. They are ready to meet us the right way. And to support us when we return."

"My happy childhood at home was stolen from me"

Ismail Ramazanov, 37, a former political prisoner, is another exiled Crimean Tatar. He was born in the places of exile of his family in Uzbekistan. When Ismail was six years old, his parents left everything they had acquired in a foreign land and returned to their homeland, Crimea. The love for the peninsula instilled by his father stung when, two decades later, he found himself far from his native land again.

I can call myself a victim of Stalin's genocide. My happy childhood in my historical homeland, Crimea, was stolen from me.Ismail Ramazanov, Crimean Tatar activist, former political prisoner

Until 2014, Ismail was not politically active: he lived an ordinary life, built a house, grew melons, grapes, and kept peach orchards. He explored the peninsula and fell in love with it all over again. Until the Russians came.

Ramazanov was also among those who came to the rally on February 26. He did not appear in any photos or videos at the time, which may have saved him from persecution by the Russians back then. After all, many of the protesters at the time were closely watched by the Russian special services. When the occupiers began to block Ukrainian military units, Ismail helped Ukrainian soldiers, bringing them food.

Before the occupation, Ismail worked as a railroad conductor, but after 2014 he quit his job because he did not want to work with the occupation authorities. Instead, he worked on his father's land, coached young people at school, and taught them freestyle wrestling. He also helped the families of political prisoners. This is why Russian security forces became interested in him.

"When I fell, they jumped on my back"

He was searched on January 23, 2018. The occupiers planted ammunition and "extremist literature" under his mattress. He was accused of "inciting ethnic hatred" against Russians. Ismail himself says that he called a spade a spade: those who came to his land were the occupiers. The security forces took him from his home and beat him on the way.

They tried to force at lease some [kind of confession] out of me. They beat me so hard that I lost consciousness several times. When I fell to the floor, they jumped on my back. There were about seven of them.Ismail Ramazanov, Crimean Tatar activist, former political prisoner

The beatings continued for two more days. On January 24, an occupation "court" sent the Crimean to a pre-trial detention center on criminal charges. Subsequently, Russia will partially decriminalize the article under which he was to be tried, but by that time, Ismail will have been in captivity for six months, where he will be abused.

"When I got out of the detention center, I had a long treatment. To this day, the injury still makes itself felt. They managed to harm my health, but not to break me."

I was tortured while fully tied up. It hurt that I could not do anything in response. For me, they are not men, not human beings.Ismail Ramazanov, Crimean Tatar activist, former political prisoner

The former political prisoner recalls how in captivity, Crimeans would share and pass on to each other a piece of bread or some goodies they could get from their relatives. They were like a family – even so, the Russians could not break the spirit of resistance.

In order to perform namaz on time, which is important for Muslims, political prisoner Seiran Saliyev called for prayer from his cell window so that those who had no track of time could pray.

In July 2018, the court did not extend Ismail's detention in the pre-trial detention center, although during this time, they tried to trump up another case against him – for possession of ammunition. However, it was later closed. After the article was partially decriminalized, all charges were dropped against the Crimean. But that was not the end.

"We don't like your pro-Ukrainian position"

Ramazanov was released from captivity on his own recognizance. Despite this, he still traveled. In particular, to Rostov to support the "first Simferopol group" of political prisoners. Six months later, in early 2019, he was summoned to the occupation prosecutor's office.

"Assistant prosecutor Viktoria Mironets said frankly that they did not like my pro-Ukrainian activities. That I ‘have a unique opportunity to go’ to the mainland of Ukraine and pursue my pro-Ukrainian position there. I thought for a week and decided to leave," Ismail said.

His parents remain in Crimea to this day. And this issue is painful for Ismail. Of course, he is scared for them, but he has no way to take them out of the occupation.

My father said that nothing would make him leave Crimea voluntarily. My parents paid a high price to return there 70 years after the deportation.Ismail Ramazanov, Crimean Tatar activist, former political prisoner

After moving to Kyiv, the Crimean Tatar received a one-time allowance from the state, and spent part of it on supporting political prisoners. In the capital, Ismail continued to organize actions in support of Crimean Tatars. But building a new life was difficult.

Due to his back injury, he could not work as a loader for long, and tried to work as a taxi driver. His friends helped him with housing. But his dream of a law degree remains a dream.

"I don't know how long I need to live in Kyiv to integrate into this society. I still have everyday problems. In particular, with housing. I'm not used to complaining about it, I can't call my life difficult," said Ismail.

He spent the first months of the all-out war in the ranks of the Kyiv territorial defense. Later, he left, and to this day, his wife and Ismail do volunteer work. He believes in the de-occupation of his native peninsula and is considering returning to the Defense Forces to do so.