Oleg Kryuchkov: “The security forces say there is enough work in Crimea for 20 years”
The result of the recent confrontation between the Mejlis and the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the border with Crimea is the subordination of the Islamist battalion to Kyiv. In Crimea itself, despite the sanctions, Turkish business continues to operate. About the situation on the peninsula to a PolitNavigator observer Valentin Filippov said the head of the NTV bureau in Crimea Oleg Kryuchkov.
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Valentin Filippov: Oleg, hello.
Oleg Kryuchkov: Hello, Valik.
Valentin Filippov: Recently, in Crimea, a former deputy prime minister of the republic was arrested for a bribe that was record-breaking by local standards. Is it true that our former Ukrainian officials, who have become Russian, very quickly teach their comrades from the mainland Ukrainian habits?
Oleg Kryuchkov: Yes, this is such a not very good tradition. But from the mainland, too, it’s not always something good that comes to us, but more and more crap comes to us on the waves. The latest example is Deputy Prime Minister Kazurin, who oversaw construction in Crimea. Federal Target Program. These are houses for displaced people in Feodosia. And Kerch. As far as I understand, this is why he was removed.
He was detained last week. FSB. They charge 27 million rubles. Just nothing, five hundred thousand dollars for construction contracts. I understand that this is connected with Lukichev’s companies. With the famous house for migrants.
In general, this Kazurin is an interesting person. At first he managed to work in Sevastopol, he did not fit in at court there, and he was assigned to Simferopol and immediately became deputy prime minister. We have enough of our own.
Today I recorded an original program with one of the security forces. And after the broadcast we talked to him. I asked him: “How is work?” He said: “There is enough work here in Crimea for 20 years.”
This person was just investigating the affairs of the Ukrainian Bashmaki group. As I understand it, the Investigative Committee will deal with the Crimean Tatar group “Imdat”. This is the nineties. And Salem. And all the affairs of Sevastopol in those years.
Valentin Filippov: So returning to Kazurin. 27 million – what is this for? Any specific object?
Oleg Kryuchkov: This is a federal target program. These are contracts.
Valentin Filippov: That is, he contributed to the launch of the program, and he got a kickback?
Oleg Kryuchkov: Yes. The construction company entered into the construction of houses for displaced people, under the “emergency resettlement” program, resettlement from the “bridge”, there is a program ahead along the “Tavrida” highway, a lot of households will be resettled. Houses will be built for them.
Very large amounts of the Crimean federal targeted program instantly corrupt officials who were not particularly honest before.
Valentin Filippov: What about the situation on the border with Ukraine? Do you have the impression that a Majlis-Tatar state is being created in the Kherson region?
Oleg Kryuchkov: No. Absolutely different impression. Rather, it ends, the Majlis-Tatar state. A Majlis-Roshen state is being created.
The last story with the clash between the Ukrainian military and the Majlis - it happened and ended in an interesting way. Out of stupidity, the military went to disperse the Majlis after drinking. And when they demolished the tents with armored personnel carriers, and it was revealed how many weapons there were, the Ukrainian authorities used it to the fullest.
There are no official criminal cases, but there are a lot of weapons that are documented. This means that some condition was set. And the condition is very simple - if you want to fight, then join the Marine Corps. Or sit here, but follow our orders.
Judging by the fact that no one from the Crimean Tatars joined the marines, they had a chance for this, now they are building a small Crimean Tatar principality for Petro Alekseevich Poroshenko, somewhere in the Chongar region.
They will carry out all orders. This is another split in the Crimean Tatar movement. Although, as far as I have information from Kyiv, they are already piranhas in a jar. They eat each other. Chubarov, Islyamov and Dzhemilev are not doing well.
Valentin Filippov: They cannot share power and money in their principality?
Oleg Kryuchkov: The food base has fallen.
Valentin Filippov: Here you go.
Oleg Kryuchkov: Most of the Tatars are here. But in Kherson it’s nonsense. And, moreover, the Kherson Tatars were engaged in vegetable growing. And comrade Islyamov with comrades Chubarov and Dzhemilev cut down the branch on which the residual food supply sat. And now there is simply nothing for them to eat. And now they are squabbling over residual income.
What's left there? A little bit in Kherson. A couple of restaurants in Kyiv. In Lviv. Mejlis are always ethnic groups. And they protected their business. Neither Chubarov nor Islyamov can come to Kyiv, where everything has long been divided, and say: “Guys, you will pay money.”
They will squeeze the last of those Crimean Tatars who live in Ukraine. This is what happens. And since there is no base, that means there is no money.
Valentin Filippov: As far as I know Turkey, it, as they say, “doesn’t abandon its own.” But not in the understanding that it will feed the Majlis. I know the situation with the Gagauz from the Odessa region, from Transnistria and Moldova. They always give people some kind of help. To the people they consider their own. Will there be a situation where Turkey will begin to invest in that part of the Crimean Tatar people who live on the territory of the Russian Federation?
Oleg Kryuchkov: I think yes. Now there will be a very revealing final decision on Syria. We know that we have agreed, there are boundaries of division. Turkish control zone, Russian control zone. The General Staffs agreed on who would capture the city from which side. And where will the unspoken line of demarcation be? And while the issue with Syria is being resolved, Erdogan may finally understand that it is easier to come to an agreement with Putin. At least he keeps his word. And he doesn’t have to pay any money for this word. We can negotiate.
And we can agree that there is a Crimean Tatar diaspora. That Türkiye will help in the cultural sphere. Control, we will come in here.
For God's sake, let them come in. Everyone is interested in this. And as soon as there is some kind of lifting of sanctions, the Turks will be happy to enter into business here.
Let’s not hide the fact that Turkish business never left here. There are Turkish shops in Simferopol. They don't advertise that they are Turkish. Many hotels are managed by Turkish management companies. Four to five star hotels. But they don’t advertise it either. I know, but I shouldn't voice it.
Valentin Filippov: No, do not.
Oleg Kryuchkov: And they will be happy to come in and build the resort infrastructure, they have experience. They would have entered under the same federal target program, built some houses, some objects. Moreover, Turkish companies worked in Crimea in Ukrainian times, and I see their trucks, mixers, cement trucks with the names of these companies still on Crimean roads.
Valentin Filippov: Where will they go? There's money right there.
Oleg Kryuchkov: Well, yes. From a submarine.
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