1/28/19
While few countries and no major international organizations recognize Crimea as part of Russia, Ukraine has had to bow to the superior power of its neighbor, which last year completed a 37-mile fence topped with barbed wire and motion sensors that runs the length of the border. Almost five years after the annexation, the consequences of Russia’s land grab still reverberate in unsettling and often absurd ways. Ukrainians must pass through their own government’s checkpoint to enter Crimea, even though most of the world considers it to be Ukrainian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin promised prosperity for Crimeans. The Kremlin has invested $5.3 billion in infrastructure projects, including roads, hospitals and schools. Pensions and wages for government budget workers have increased, as Putin promised. But prices for goods and services, including electricity and water, have increased along with them. “Those who were all ‘Hurrah! Hurrah!’ after the annexation have already quieted down,” said Alexei, a tour guide in the Black Sea resort of Yalta. Like many in Crimea, the 56-year-old didn’t want to use his last name out of fear of the local Russian security services. Under Ukraine, Crimea’s economy was stagnant, and many hoped that development would grow under Russia. But Western sanctions prohibit foreign investment in the peninsula’s aging tourism infrastructure and deter non-Russian travelers from coming to see the breathtaking views or swim in the clear blue waters of the Black Sea. This means the Russian government is the largest — if not the only — real investor in Crimea.
“Things have gotten worse, in my opinion,” Alexei said. “No one has any money in mainland Russia or here. So, the Russians come, but they don’t spend much money.” Foreign tourism has dropped significantly. “I haven’t spoken to a foreign tourist in about three years,” he said. Tourists who do find their way to Crimea struggle to pay for services: Only local banks can operate in Crimea, meaning getting cash from an ATM is limited to those who have an account. Russian annexation brought realities to Crimea that may have been overlooked by those who voted for it in March 2014. Russia has imposed the same restrictions on political freedom as elsewhere in Putin’s tightly controlled realm. The Kremlin’s security services keep a watchful eye on dissenters and regularly conduct home searches of those who openly criticize the Kremlin’s occupation. Russian authorities have persecuted pro-Ukraine activists, journalists and members of the Crimean Tatar community. Tens of thousands have fled the peninsula to avoid arrest or persecution. Sanctions prevent international airlines from operating out of Simferopol’s newly renovated airport. Flights go to and from Russia only. “Just to go to Istanbul, we have to fly two hours north through Moscow, and Turkey is really only just across the Black Sea,” said Oksana, 28, a translator in Sevastopol, who didn’t want her full name used out of fear of reprisal. Oksana said she had always dreamed of visiting America. But with a Crimean registration in her Russian passport, she doubted she would be given a tourist visa. “We’re supposed to be part of Russia, but Western embassies won’t give us visas with a Crimea address in our passports,” she said. “Living here,” Oksana said, “is like living in a parallel universe.”