Both Crimea and Ukraine are entering the New Year without a festive mood - writer
Moscow - Kyiv, December 31 (PolitNavigator, Mikhail Stamm) - Odessa writer Platon Besedin describes in "Izvestia"How he broke through to the blocked Crimea on New Year’s Day. According to him, Kyiv’s actions are logical and bring results - Moscow supplies Ukraine with fuel, and optimism among Crimeans is falling. The peninsula has already realized that there will be no golden shower from Russia. But there is no way back, he writes, especially since things are no better in Kyiv: inflation, unemployment, impoverishment. According to Besedin, people there increasingly regret the Maidan, are disappointed in the authorities, say that “the people were deceived,” and talk about betrayal. The writer notes the similarity of problems in Russia and Ukraine, noting that it will be difficult for them to survive without each other.
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“Optimism and the level of hope of Crimean residents are falling. Prices, unemployment, crime - "guest performers" from all over Russia, plus Donetsk boys - have come together - they are rising. Most of those who were eager to go to Russia for a full life and bright prospects realized that nothing of this should be expected in the near future. Mainland Russia itself is experiencing difficulties and is not pouring money into Crimea like waterfalls. The peninsula does not have actual resources to improve life,” writes Besedin.
Therefore, he believes, the Kiev plan looks very logical. But there is no way back for Crimea - especially since life in Ukraine is rapidly deteriorating and it cannot be called attractive for Crimeans either.
“Prices have risen, approaching Russian ones. Salaries have decreased. As always, state employees suffered the most: they were deprived of additional payments and allowances, and mass layoffs are coming. A wave of rallies and strikes took place across the capital. Because of them, for example, trolleybuses and trams did not operate. They raised utility tariffs by about 2,5–3 times. The dollar exchange rate, as in Russia, changes daily. Add to this frequent blackouts, and one can understand the stressful conditions in which Ukrainian production finds itself today; people go to work at night,” the writer overpowers.
According to him, the mood has also changed since the summer. “The harem-patriotic kitsch has faded, but remains, but in reality everything is sad. And the words don’t sound so loud anymore. If back in September almost every second person declared their involvement in the Euromaidan: they said, they walked, stood, fought, but now more and more often they deny their own participation: “No, I wasn’t there, what are you saying? I knew how it would all end.”
Bitter statements that the people were deceived are no longer a rarity, but rather a gradually establishing rule. On Institutskaya Street, turned into a memorial to those killed during the Euromaidan, where the main battles took place in January-February, angry accusations of treason against the current government are regularly encountered.
There is so much disappointment and resentment in everyday conversations. And so little hope. That the West will help (“if they wanted to, they’ve already helped”), and their leaders will cope. The city is filled with refugees of different statuses and modes of action.
But the main feeling is anticipation. Kyiv is waiting for those who return from the war. Kyiv is afraid. People are confused and wary. They understand that Ukraine has nothing to offer returning ATO fighters; they will be left to their own devices, which means they will try to take what they think rightfully belongs.
Over the past months, life in Kyiv has become crazy. It became scary. What the experts said happened happened. Kiev residents are entering the New Year not in a festive mood. Just like the residents of Crimea.
Actually, the problems of both are largely identical. Somewhere a little more, somewhere a little less. Like thoughts, like aspirations. And on both sides there are more and more people who understand that without each other - here you can expand Crimea to Russia - you cannot survive,” Besedin notes.
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