The blockade is like a breakthrough

Ize Gdanov. Photo: Marianna Prisyazhnyuk / Independent News Bureau

The petition about the need for energy blockade of Crimea posted on the website of the President of Ukraine, yesterday collected the necessary 25,000 votes and in the near future should be considered by Peter Poroshenko. A week ago, the power engineers turned off one of the high -voltage lines supplying Crimea with electricity, after it was damaged by unknown, and activists of the civilian blockade of Crimea did not allow it to restore it. The commodity-transport blockade, which has stopped the land supply of goods across the border, continues.

The “facets” talked about the blockade of Crimea with one of its organizers, deputy headquarters commander of the Izet Gdanov .

- Is the complete energy blockade of Crimea possible?

• The total electricity consumption in Crimea is 1000 megawatts in power. They themselves can produce 220-250 megavatts. 750 Megavatts comes from the mainland. Now there has already been a decrease in 200 megavatts. There are four branches that supply electricity from the mainland, one of them is disabled. There are technical issues on the supply of the Kherson region, which must be worked out by employees of Ukrenergo. But with cooperation with the authorities in the legal field, a complete shutdown is possible. To do this, Kyiv must give a task and at a certain moment to stop supply.

- Do the organizers of the blockade have mutual understanding with Ukrainian society, the state?

• Being citizens of Ukraine, we turned to the authorities: it is necessary to stop the supply of all goods and services by the autonomous republic while it is occupied. Electricity is also goods. You know that the corresponding petition is registered, more than 25,000 citizens were signed under it and it should be considered by the president in the near future. Citizens of Ukraine, who remained in the occupied Crimea, are ready to sit without light, without goods, only in order to return Crimea. The day before yesterday, the ATR channel organized a direct line of communication of the blockade headquarters with citizens . Ninety percent of the calling were from the Crimea. People very emotionally, to tears, supported our action and said that it was thanks to the blockade that they saw the real actions and support of the Crimeans from the mainland. First of all, this is a successful commodity-transport blockade. This is also felt by the occupation authorities of Crimea.

On our part, the initiator of the blockade is the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, people's deputies. There is a general understanding of the need for actions. Yes, it cannot be different: power is primarily a people, and the position of citizens of Ukraine is clear.

- Perhaps the opponents of the blockade simply did not call you? Surely someone is configured against this blockade.

• First of all, no one asked the opinions of Crimeans when Crimea was annexed. Now it is difficult to say about moods: perhaps those who arrived in the Crimea after occupation are against the blockade. You know, many people are imported to Crimea from Russia. And, of course, against the blockade, the occupation authorities and their environment. They have a dual position. On the one hand, they say that the blockade is useless and will not affect the life of the Crimea, and on the other hand, one of them is even going to complain about the blockade at the UN. But there is an important principle: the invaders are responsible for the life of the occupied population. If they do not cope, then let the peninsula free. Our citizens, who remained there, perfectly understand: in order to free the Crimea, you need to do something. Therefore, they are ready to eat what they grow on earth themselves.

The dual position of the occupying authorities of the Crimea is caused by an understanding: the blockade will lead their work to a dead end. They are trying to pretend that everything is fine, but signs of a real crisis are already manifested. Well, they do not have enough experience. People gathered there who do not understand what they are doing, trying to control the Crimea in manual mode.

- Do you have any contacts with them?

• No. Who are the Crimea authorities? These are the invaders. What to talk about with them? I was told that there is an agreement on the energy supply of Crimea, under which our official signed on the one hand, and on the other hand, Crimea acts as a federal district. How is it possible? What can be a contractual relationship with the state with which we actually have military operations? Moreover, with the self -proclaimed authorities who occupied the territory of the republic.

- There were talks that, in the conditions of a commodity blockade near the border, to create certain bases, hubs for the sale of goods for personal needs of citizens.

These are issues related to the administration of the Kherson region bordering the Crimea. We are not standing here to open some business. We are not interested. Then, in order to function, there are certain requirements for the occupying authorities of Crimea and the Russian authorities, in particular, on the liberation of political prisoners. After they are fulfilled, the organization of the hubs is also possible, but these are again questions to the administration of the Kherson region. But this applies not to trucks, but only for personal use.

- How successful is interaction with the Ukrainian state for organizing a blockade?

• In the area of ​​work of checkpoints, law enforcement agencies operate. A serious channel of trade is closed, there are financial losses on both sides, there are dissatisfied, there are provocative actions - which means that there are problems of safety and law and order that are solved by these bodies. There is interaction and understanding with the border service. Issues with citizens who move by personal transport are resolved.

But from the government, although it completely owns information, there was no one here. From the first day of the civil blockade, there was no one from the president’s representative office in the Crimea, which, after the occupation, moved to the Kherson region. No one expressed a desire to at least find out what was happening. They have a legal opportunity to submit the necessary draft decisions now - for example, on the termination of the energy supply of Crimea, on the commodity and transport blockade, on the abolition of the free economic zone. But to this day, no one knows what they are doing. Perhaps they do not know anything about the blockade at all?

The same applies to the civil service for Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. People who are obliged to do everything connected with the Crimea, have not shown here and the nose. They do nothing, just loafing.

- According to a sociological survey, only 12% of Ukrainians believe that Crimea can be returned non -violently.

• Since I myself from the Crimea, I held posts in the executive authorities, I will tell you: Crimea is a peninsula, completely dependent on the mainland. Without energy supply and importing goods of Russia, it will be very difficult to feed people for whom she took responsibility. Today it turns out that we, the citizens of Ukraine on the mainland, help the invaders, supplying them with all the necessary. Electricity, goods - please. What else do you need? Please. And then we say: you can return Crimea only by a violent way. No, real steps are possible that will create very serious problems for the invaders. If they can’t cope - well, we will send a humanitarian convoy. Let them only recognize this - and we will immediately send a convoy there.

Kerch ferry crossing in the fall and winter, when winds and ice drift, has very serious problems. The ferries can neither moor nor normally walk through the strait. Will they transport all this in their pockets? You can’t bring a lot either with airplanes. It is necessary to act today, not yet late, showing that we have some signs of statehood.