Crimean Tatars Preserve Identity in Ukraine as Future of Homeland Looms Over Peace Talks
As peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia remain fraught with uncertainty, Crimean Tatars in Ukraine are fighting to preserve their language, culture, and dreams of return, despite exile and ongoing Russian occupation, The Gaze reports, citing Reuters.
At a school near Kyiv, Olha Kycha, acting head teacher, says every student is a symbol of resilience and hope for the future of Crimea. “For us, every child who is here has huge value,” she told Reuters. The school promotes Crimean Tatar literature and customs, creating what Kycha calls “the only island, a piece of Crimea in the Kyiv region.”
Six-year-old student Rukhiye, who has never been to Crimea, echoed a shared dream among the displaced: “I want to go to Crimea.”
Crimea, home to Sunni Muslim Tatars of Turkic origin, has long been at the center of conquest and political struggle. Following its illegal occupation by Russia in 2014, thousands of Tatars fled the peninsula, with many now living in exile in Ukraine.
Ayder Rustemov, a 45-year-old mufti who fled Crimea after the occupation, warns of dire consequences should the world recognize Russia’s control. “If we recognise Crimea as Russian … I don’t even know what the consequences could be. Just unimaginable consequences,” he said. “The goal of Russia has not changed, only the form has changed.”
Russia claims the question of Crimea is settled, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has firmly rejected any proposal that concedes the peninsula. “Crimea is Ukrainian territory,” he has said, pushing back against a controversial suggestion by former U.S. President Donald Trump that Zelenskyy was ready to trade Crimea for peace.
Meanwhile, the Crimean Tatar population continues to face persecution under Russian rule, according to Ukrainian and international rights groups. Allegations of harassment, threats, enforced disappearances, and political repression persist. Russia denies the claims.
Despite everything, the dream of return endures. “Still, the majority of Crimean Tatars that live in Crimea continue dreaming about a free Crimea,” said Diliaver Saidakhmetov, 36, leaving a mosque in Kyiv.
Read more on The Gaze: Why Recognizing Crimea as Russian Contradicts Decades of American Diplomacy