Episode Summary

russian propaganda spreads the false narrative that Crimea has belonged to russia for most of its existence. Their propaganda asserts its indigenous people, the Qırımtatarlar — more commonly known as the Qirimli — have always been a small part of the Crimean population and have lived with ethnic russians.

The truth is much more grim: russia's attempted to wipe them off the map over the past three centuries. Due to their resilience, the Qırımtatarlar are not only alive, but are fighting for their homeland both on the peninsula and along the larger front as part of the Ukrainian Army.

Yulia and Alim Aliev, Deputy Director General of the Institute of Ukraine, member of PEN Ukraine and founder of the Crimean Fig literary project, discuss one of the most disputed peninsulas in the world — Qirim (or Krym in Ukrainian). Whom does it really belong to? Was it really originally russian land? What happened there between 1918 and 2014, when it became known worldwide (again) after the russian occupation?

Episode Glossary

• The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People (Crimean Tatar: Qırımtatar Milliy Meclisi) is the single highest executive-representative body of the Crimean Tatars between sessions of the Qurultay of the Crimean Tatar People. The Mejlis is a member institution of the Platform of European Memory and Conscience.


• The song heard in the episode is Yosmam by Jamala (Dzhamala)

Learn More

Learn more about the Qırımtatarlar and Crimean Tartars.

• 
  Read the story of Alim's family's deportation on Svidomi Media's website.


• 
  Take the Udemy course titled Crimea: History and People
  


• 
  Read Blood of Others: Stalin's Crimea Atrocity and the Poetics of Solidarity by Rory Finnin


• 
  Watch Khaytarma, a movie about Stalin's crimes against the Crimean Tatars on May 18, 1944


• 
  Watch Homeward, an award-winning film about a Crimean Tatar family that returns to Qirim.


• 
  Listen to the album Qirim by Crimean Tatar composer Jamala (Dzhamala)


• 
  Follow Asan Isenadzhyiev, paramedic, Crimean Tatar, and Azovstal Defender on Instagram


• 
  Follow the Deputy Head of Prosecutor General's Office of Sevastopol Nariman Suleymanov on Facebook

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Want To Collaborate?

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