Russia is trying to destroy the residents’ Ukrainian identity by force. European public radios gathered stories of Ukrainians.
The European Broadcasting Union EBU has compiled information about the events in the territories that Russia seized from Ukraine. The information shows that a strong Russianization campaign is underway in the occupied territories.
The occupiers are determined to destroy the Ukrainian identity of the local residents. Cherishing Ukrainian culture can lead to a prison sentence, even execution, residents of the occupied territories tell EBU.
Residents are forced to take Russian citizenship. Without it, people can become homeless and without the right to health care.
The children must be sent to Russian schools. There are rumors among the residents that the children could be taken away if they do not go to the schools prescribed by the authorities.
Residents say that those in power will punish with violence if Russia is not praised. Director of Kherson City Hospital Leonid Remyga says that he was sent to prison, where every day the prisoners had to shout praises to Russia and the president to Vladimir Putin.
In addition, the prisoners had to sing the Russian national anthem every day. Remyga says that she was repeatedly beaten up because she didn’t know the words to the song. He says that he has seen people die from beatings.
An estimated 11 million people live in the territories occupied by Russia. An estimated two million of them have taken Russian citizenship.
The EBU report has been published so far in spanish and in Lithuanian.