Crimean Tatars to put embargo on goods flow to Crimea by late September

Chairman of the Mejlis (Assembly) of the Crimean Tatar People Refat Chubarov said that Crimean Tatars will embark on blocking Crimea from the mainland Ukraine in a bid to find tools to protect its citizens living on the peninsula.

As reported by Censor.NET, the action's details were announced by Mejlis Deputy Chairman Nariman Dzhelialov in an interview with Gazeta.ua. He stayed on the peninsula.

"Blockade of Crimea has been discussed for a long time. Not only by Crimean Tatars. At a first February meeting of representatives of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People with Petro Poroshenko attended by Refat Chubarov, Mustafa Dzhemilev and then free Rustem Umerov, a question was raised about Crimea being freely entered from Ukraine by a large number of trucks carrying different food products which did not stay in Crimea and went further to Russia. Back then, many Crimean Tatars argued that it was profane to feed the country waging war on Ukraine's territory. This action — blocking roads, cutting electricity and water supply — is a response to violations of human rights and the rights of the Crimean Tatar People.

"It will affect the peninsula. But a lot of people from Kyiv and Ukraine support such actions in their hearts. Ukrainian goods in Crimea make approximately five percent of all offering. Building materials produced in Ukraine are extremely rare. If Ukrainian products made a larger share of trade marks on offer, then one could resent blocking.

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"As for pressure from the Crimean occupational authorities, we could only be afraid of the last thing — mass arrests and murders. Everything else is already here. A large number of people have prosecutorial warnings, repeated contact with law enforcement authorities and so on. This sort of pressure is kind of humdrum. But we are also ready for harder threats. No such political actions happen without consequences.

"We are ready for provocations, because big money is involved here. There may be hired groups of volunteers, servicemen, or anyone else calling themselves patriots. And it is not about only Russian special services, those involved may hail from Ukraine as well. Many people will "suffer" from blocking. We must be prepared for all possible scenarios," Dzhelialov said.