Empty shop shelves, the hum of generators, beaches devoid of tourists, queues and scuffles at petrol stations, air raid sirens and explosions – this has been life in occupied Crimea since the end of June, when the Ukrainian Defence Forces launched an operation to compel Russia to make peace. At the same time, for the Russian audience, the occupying authorities are trying to paint a different picture – one of enterprises operating smoothly, support for business and a willingness to help the population.
How life on the peninsula has actually changed, and how the Russian media are trying to conceal the consequences of these problems – in this report by Suspilne Crimea.
Amid power cuts in Crimea, Russian TV channels continue to film reports on life on the peninsula. Local residents have noticed the difference between what is shown on television and what is actually happening.
“Over there, people are filming a news report about those who’ve been without power for over 48 hours. I say: ‘Speak up so I can hear all this first-hand.’ But they’re just whispering into their little microphones, and who knows which channel’s showing it,” says the Crimean woman, speaking ironically about the pro-Russian media filming reports in Crimea on so-called state aid for business owners.
