Mental de-occupation of Crimea may take up to 10 years or a generation – office of president's representative in Crimea
It can take up from 10 years to one generation for the people of Crimea to cognitively re–engage with Ukraine's information and cultural environment, i.e., for them to become mentally re–attached to Ukraine.
This was stated by the head of the Department of Information Support of the Representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Yevhen Bondarenko, during a discussion at the Ukraine Media Center.
The official emphasized that there is already a finally fixed strategic document on the cognitive de-occupation of Crimea. It defines the vector of movement and understanding the challenges necessary for forming priorities and the work to be carried out.
In particular, among the vectors:
- "Educational reintegration",
- "Policy regarding children and youth."
As reported in the representative office, these directions provide for overcoming long-term propaganda indoctrination and militarization of children and youth.
Bondarenko emphasized that for almost ten years, Russia has been using education in the occupied Crimea for propaganda and militarizing children and youth.
Bondarenko noted that only in 2023 the occupation administrations in Crimea allocated more than 82 million rubles for the so-called military-patriotic education.
As explained on the website of the representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, cognitive de-occupation is a set of strategic, operational, and tactical measures for reshaping the actual consciousness, social values, outlook, and civic behavior of many residents of Crimea after the de-occupation of the peninsula, explained on the website of the representation of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
For reference:
In July, President Volodymyr Zelensky said the war would not end for Ukraine until all Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia, including Crimea, were liberated.
Later, he added, Ukraine is preparing a complex of security, economic, and social steps regarding the de-occupation and reintegration of the peninsula.
In turn, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhnyi, also emphasized that no one would stop him in his intention to liberate Crimea.
In addition, according to the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense, Kyrylo Budanov, the Defense Forces of Ukraine are capable, if necessary, of striking the enemy in any part of the Crimea temporarily occupied by Russia. At the same time, it is better for Russians and Ukrainian collaborators to leave the peninsula.
President Volodymyr Zelensky also stated at the opening of the Crimean Platform summit that the Russian Federation could turn a blind eye to the loss of Crimea, just as it did during the retreat from other occupied Ukrainian territories.
On the eve of the summit of the International Crimean Platform, the Secretary of the National Security Council, Oleksii Danilov, said that, most likely, Ukraine would liberate Crimea by military means. After all, only in case of de-occupation of the peninsula will Ukraine have certain security guarantees.
