“Crimea cannot be half ours”
Crimea and Sevastopol through the eyes of a guest from Germany. Bridge and airport. Half-hearted actions of Sberbank and mobile operators. German retail chains in Crimea and the self-blockade of Ukraine.
Political scientist Alexander Sosnovsky , a German citizen who visited Crimea and Sevastopol , spoke to PolitNavigator observer Valentin Filippov about this and about Nord Stream 2, which is intended to become the foundation for relations between Russia and Germany.
Valentin Filippov: Alexander, hello. You were recently in Crimea. Is it true that you secretly brought Angela Merkel along, and that's why she seemed so favorably disposed toward Russia at her meeting with Vladimir Putin?
Alexander Sosnovsky: You see, I can only confirm that the Crimean special services are doing a superb job. No matter how hard I hid it, you still noticed it. J Well, what can I do? I have to admit it.
Valentin Filippov: It wasn't the secret services - her face was simply tanned during the negotiations.
Jokes aside, what is the attitude towards Crimea in German society? If your fellow citizens even think about it.
Alexander Sosnovsky: You see, they're thinking about it. But the problem here, of course, is the massive information propaganda. I'm not afraid to use this word in relation to the German media, because they, of course, are the ones who generate concepts like "annexation," "forceful seizure," and so on. Therefore, many people associate Crimea with precisely these concepts.
When you start talking either with politicians, or with political scientists, or with Angela Merkel, and suddenly explain this whole situation, they immediately remember Khrushchev with his famous decree, and with his letter. They immediately remember the “conspiracy of three” in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, during which Crimea was practically forgotten... And they remembered that it turns out that more than 70% of the population of Crimea at the time of the Crimean Spring were people speaking Russian or ethnic Russians...
Therefore, it is difficult to talk. You cannot demand from the Germans that they immediately accept your position, my position, and say: “Crimea is part of the territory of Russia.” Because in many ways they don’t understand it. It's not their fault. This is mainly the fault of the truly massive and massive information propaganda that is being conducted on the issue of Crimea.
Valentin Filippov: Well, it's probably still hard for them, because they've been taught for decades that Austria isn't Germany, even though everyone speaks German there. And I can understand them to some extent.
Alexander Sosnovsky: Moreover, I'll tell you, in Austria, many people talk about a greater Germany, although they're afraid to say it out loud. Because the Germans immediately say, "Don't tell us about this, or you'll send us another Adolf. We've had enough of one for many years."
Valentin Filippov: What are your personal impressions of Crimea? You've probably been there before. Is the region truly being reborn as part of Russia?
Alexander Sosnovsky: On the one hand, of course, I saw Crimea, which I was very pleased to see. I've said it a thousand times, and I'll repeat it again, the airport in Simferopol is wonderful. In Berlin, I suffer terribly from the lack of an airport. They've already spent about five billion euros on a new airport, and it's still nowhere near there. But here, we have a wonderful airport, and the fact that it can't handle international flights is, of course, a disaster for everyone, and it's incredibly frustrating.
I saw some new roads, I saw roads that were being built. Firstly, I saw happy people, basically normal. I mean in terms of my mood, in terms of my attitude.
I saw shops. That is, I saw that the region is really developing, Crimea is developing. Well, I’m already silent about the handsome Sevastopol. I won’t even give out compliments, you yourself know what kind of city this is.
But there are things that caught my attention, although I am a German, the most Russian among Germans, the most German among Russians. But the things that caught my attention... I come to Crimea, turn on my phone, but it doesn’t work. It turns out that Beeline is not present in Crimea.
Valentin Filippov: No, Beeline is present, but it’s so expensive…
Alexander Sosnovsky: Yes, yes, I know. It worked for me later, and I was even able to use it somehow. But the fact that it's supposedly available through a dozen other providers—that, of course, really surprised me.
The next question is, of course, the absence of many Russian large enterprises such as Sberbank.
Valentin Filippov: Yes.
Alexander Sosnovsky: Well, of course, I can withdraw my money using my card, but the fact that there are no Sberbank branches really surprised and shocked me. I've said this before, and I'll say it again. This might offend some, but I'll say it anyway. If "Crimea is ours," it can't be half ours. It needs to be 100% ours.
Therefore, I don’t know how, I will not give advice to Gref, I will not give advice to the heads of other enterprises that could enter Crimea, but do not.
I'll just say one thing. On the way from Sevastopol to Simferopol, on the way back, I suddenly saw with great surprise and joy the sign of Metro, a giant German concern. They already told me: “You have mortgaged the Metro. Now they will put pressure on him.” They won't push him. They know how to work. If a German concern, which knows about the sanctions, and is in such a state where they can somehow crush it, opens its representative office and, moreover, is not shy. There are giant posters and billboards where you can see.
Excuse me, but then Sberbank and Beeline and everyone else are simply obliged to be present in Crimea. Otherwise, sooner or later this will cause a certain state of frustration, as the Germans say, among the Crimeans.
I don’t want people to start asking themselves questions: “Are we really yours?” or “Is it true that we are ours?” I see this danger more like a home-grown psychiatrist. And as an expert on all these issues, I understand that sooner or later people have the feeling “Maybe we weren’t needed that much?” And this feeling is very dangerous. There is no need to allow it.
Therefore, it seems to me that what needs to be done now is to really show “Crimea is ours” in full, introduce all the necessary structures there, create the necessary infrastructure so that people do not have such questions. Otherwise, Crimea will look like such a stepdaughter. It's always dangerous.
Valentin Filippov: This is, of course, very frustrating. When you click "nearest Sberbank ATM" on a map online, you'll get "400 km" and an arrow...
Alexander Sosnovsky: Yesterday I also received an SMS from Beeline, where they made me happy, saying that there is no longer roaming, but there is still some in Crimea.
Valentin Filippov: I'd like to ask a question about Merkel's talks with Putin. It was stated that gas transit through Ukraine is a must. At the same time, Ukraine is threatening to cut off rail service to Russia, and Kyiv has already banned flights.
Alexander Sosnovsky: Ukraine risks becoming a suitcase without a handle for Europe, one you can't take with you, but you'd be sorry to leave it behind. Because Ukraine's actions, especially recently, and their announcement about the possible cessation of rail service, all these blockades, will lead to nothing good.
Firstly, Ukraine itself is reducing the possibility of receiving financial resources, which it really needs.
Secondly, Ukraine creates difficulties primarily for its citizens. In Crimea, I saw many cars with Ukrainian license plates that still arrive, and that still get in. Why is it necessary to put obstacles in the way of those people who cannot find a salary or a normal job in Ukraine? They are leaving somewhere. First of all, this hits the economy and the people of Ukraine.
Therefore, if we speak very cynically, we will say: “Well, let them pursue such a policy.” The more they pursue such a policy, I mean the Kiev leadership and, in general, everyone who is in power in Kiev, the sooner this regime will collapse, and perhaps then normal people who are able to adequately evaluate their people will come to power, who deserves a better life. It seems to me that this is exactly the situation.
If a decision is made, and it will be made, on Nord Stream 2 and the simultaneous pumping of some gas through Ukrainian pipes, then this is both a gift and a sop to Ukraine. Because if Ukraine does something here. Well, let’s say some scoundrels want to carry out a terrorist attack and blow up some pipe. As soon as this is done, we can forget about Ukraine altogether, because it will be a terrorist attack not against Russia, but against Europe.
Secondly, you need to understand that until the Nord Stream is built, even for Europe, pumping some part of the gas through Ukraine is, in general, such a fuse. Because gas has to flow somehow.
I think that Russia will not resist here. What's the point of resisting? Russia is not making any drastic steps in this direction at all. It has been repeatedly stated that this is an economic project. This is only Ukraine and, unfortunately, Donald Trump is trying to make an element of political blackmail out of Nord Stream 2.
Therefore, it seems to me that Nord Stream 2 is such a litmus test. If it now takes place with certain preferences towards Ukraine, this is a very good step towards further normalization of the situation both around Ukraine and in Europe in general.
Valentin Filippov: Good. Thank you very much. Come visit us in Crimea again.
Alexander Sosnovsky: I'd be very happy to visit you. Crimea is a wonderful place. I hope everything goes well and I hope we'll see each other again.
English version :: Read in English "Crimea Can't Be Half Ours"