Crimea, Once a Crossroad of Civilizations, Finds Itself Isolated and Under Attack
Mostly Russian visitors now cavort along its historic beaches, hoping to avoid the Ukrainian drones whizzing toward military targets.
Every month, Ukraine unleashes three or four attacks on the Crimea bridge. The latest one, last week, used underwater explosives to try to damage the support structure, Ukraine said.
Each salvo forces the bridge to close, disrupting the main artery between the Russian mainland and the Black Sea peninsula for up to seven hours. While official information is scarce, a channel on the Telegram app warns motorists to avoid crossing, as it did during another recent attack, because a “hail of shrapnel” peppers the bridge when Russia’s considerable air defenses blast the Ukrainian drones.
Ever since Russia seized Crimea in 2014 in a preview of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine eight years later, the peninsula has been a focal point of the conflict between the countries.
Moscow says its conquest righted a historical wrong, and demanded in cease-fire negotiations in Istanbul last week that any settlement include international recognition of Russian control. Ukraine vows to never abandon its claim. . .
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Despite improved living standards, Crimeans rank below the Russian national average in income, especially as the war has pushed up prices, although some benefit. Crimean wines gained a new cachet after the European Union banned most wine sales to Russia, so the cost of vineyard land more than quintupled in four years, one vintner said.
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have left the peninsula, and a wave of Russians emigrated from the mainland, although concrete numbers are elusive.
Ukraine says acknowledging Russian sovereignty would reward aggression. Crimeans often react to the idea that a war settlement might include recognition of the peninsula as Russian with a shrug, although they would welcome the end of sanctions that restrict travel and deter outside investment.
“Honestly speaking, the majority of Crimean people don’t think about recognition, because they consider Crimea a part of Russia,” said Lubov V. Gribkova, a foreign relations adviser to the mayor of Yalta.
Reporting was contributed by Alina Lobzina, Nataliya Vasilyeva, Ivan Nechepurenko and Maria Varenikova.
Neil MacFarquhar has been a Times reporter since 1995, writing about a range of topics from war to politics to the arts, both internationally and in the United States.
Milana Mazaeva is a reporter and researcher, helping to cover Russian society.
Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine
Fighting Off Drones: On a “hot night,” when Russia tries to overwhelm Kyiv’s air defenses, Ukraine relies not only on Patriot missiles, but on civilians wielding searchlights and vintage guns.
Secret Russian Intelligence Document: Russia’s domestic security agency says that China is spying on the Russian military’s operations in Ukraine to learn about Western weapons and warfare. A secret document shows that Russia’s spy hunters increasingly fear China’s espionage as the countries grow closer. Here’s how we obtained and vetted it.
Trump’s Analogy: As Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, sat beside him watching in silence, President Trump compared Russia and Ukraine to two fighting children who needed to work out their differences for a while before anyone could intervene.
Russian Gas: Amid the geopolitical jockeying touched off by Trump’s re-engaging with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, the future of Europe’s energy supply has emerged as a source of tension and vulnerability.
Flipping the Script: A drone attack on airfields and warplanes in Russia revealed how Ukraine is changing how wars will be waged in the 21st century, U.S. officials and military analysts said. A Times analysis of videos and satellite images shows the extent of the attack, which appeared intended to demonstrate that continuing the war carries big risks for Moscow.
Defending Ukraine: European nations are increasingly optimistic that they can support Ukraine financially and militarily against Russia even if Trump decides to wash his hands of the conflict.
How We Verify Our Reporting
Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs, videos and radio transmissions to independently confirm troop movements and other details.
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- Ancient & Medieval Period: Crimea has been inhabited since prehistory, with various groups like the Tauri and Scythians settling the region. The Greeks established colonies along the coast starting in the 5th century BCE. Over centuries, it saw the rise of the Bosporan Kingdom, Roman control, and Byzantine influence. In the medieval period, the interior came under the sway of the Golden Horde, leading to the formation of the Crimean Khanate, which became a dependency of the Ottoman Empire.
- Russian Annexation & Crimean War: In 1783, Catherine the Great annexed Crimea for the Russian Empire. This strategic acquisition, providing Russia with a warm-water port, led to conflicts with the Ottoman Empire, including the Crimean War (1853-1856). This war, famous for events like the Charge of the Light Brigade, devastated the peninsula.
- 20th Century & Soviet Era: Following the Russian Revolution, Crimea experienced significant upheaval and changing political control. It became an autonomous Soviet republic within the Russian SFSR in 1921. During World War II, it was occupied by Germany, and after the Soviet recapture in 1944, the indigenous Crimean Tatar population was forcibly deported by Stalin's government. This act has been described as a cultural genocide.
- Transfer to Ukraine: In 1954, Crimea was transferred from the Russian SFSR to the Ukrainian SSR, a move that would have significant consequences in the post-Soviet era.
- Independent Ukraine & 2014 Annexation: Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Crimea became part of independent Ukraine. Despite recognition of Ukrainian sovereignty by Russia in 1997, tensions escalated in 2014, when Russia illegally annexed Crimea following a controversial referendum. This annexation is not internationally recognized by most coun
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