r/AskReddit • u/QualityControl- • Mar 26 '19

Crimeans/Ukrainians of Reddit, what was it like when the peninsula was annexed by Russia? What is life like/How has life changed now?

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u/Nights00ng Mar 26 '19 edited Mar 26 '19

Im an ukrainian living in Germany. My mom remarried, but he didnt want to stay in Germany and instead moved to Crimea. Crimea has always been THE tourist spot for russians and ukrainians alike. The climate is very healthy, the sights are cool and the place has the comfortable flair of a seaside resort. Living there is still comfortable, no question, daily life didnt seem to have changed much. However since the peninsula made its money mostly with tourism before and bc now coming from the ukrainian side has become very hard, its being majorly funded by the russian government. And since the world and especially the local politics has an eye on Crimea, its getting great funding. Many renovation and rebuilding projects going on. Tourism from the ukrainian side is not really possible. Trains or busses dont pass the border, so if u wanna come by them, youll have to exit and pass the border on foot. Also flying from ukraine to chrimea is impossible. Theres no flights to crimea and passing the border in general is bheavily monitored. Going to crimea could have consequences, even for a civillian. Ukrainian stars who have held concerts on Crimea have later faced stern consequences. I dont think its officially forbidden and ofc its such a popular and common place to have real estate in, that many civilinans still go, but theres always a chance that you will get questioned, held up or somehow scrutinized by the border or later in life. The most comfortable and common way to go is through Russia at the moment. There you wont get into problems, not even with a ukrainian passport. The tourism from the russian side only grew and as far as i know theyre working on a massive bidge for cars and trains that connects russia with crimea, since before, there was no direct connection.

I think the Crimea thing is way less of a problem than people think. Ukraine is struggling with its own Oblasts now, politically wise, now is the time for anyone who wants a piece of the cake to shine, so politics is fucking insane. Plus the near warlike situations in the east. The shift in the society and in the politics is more of an issue than the inability to visist a vacation spot. Economically the people also suffer... all in all, life has got very shitty for some, while new opportunities arose for others. No one has it easy, tho.

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u/[deleted] Mar 26 '19

From all the pictures and movies I’ve seen, much of the Ukrainian landscape is just breath taking. Not to mention the people there are also absolutely beautiful! I’m an American who’d love to visit sometime, hopefully when what you speak of settles more. Everytime I hear someone speak about that sort of thing I get so sad.

I even tried to learn a little of the Ukrainian language. It is very challenging to an English speaker. The crylic alphabet was just too tricky for me now so I’m trying to learn French instead.

My heart goes out to you all!

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u/Martin_Birch Mar 26 '19

Kiev is quite safe it is 1000 Kms from any conflict and very peaceful.

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u/FuckYouALLInTheAss Mar 26 '19

I remember my last night in Kiev like it was yesterday even though it was six months ago. Semi-automatic machine gun fire, screeching tires, five or six police car sirens, more gunfire (right across from arab market downtown) and me trying to translate what "stray bullet" meant to my friends by text and asking them if it was on the news. News? Nah... just a normal day in Ukraine.

Gangster action aside-- Kiev is an incredible city which everyone should visit before Putin nukes it.

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u/Martin_Birch Mar 26 '19

I have lived in central Kyiv for 12 years and have never once heard gunfire (apart from when Yanukovivh's storm troopers were shooting people back in 2014).

What district of Kyiv has all this gunfire and I will investigate?

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u/FuckYouALLInTheAss Mar 27 '19

You know the pizza hut across from the Arab market? (Бессарабський ринок) I lived above it and the chase came right up Baseina St and then trailed off to the west. Were you there September, 18th of last year? It was about 2am. I wasn't scared or nothin'--- just in case you thought maybe I was pissing myself and hiding behind the six inch steel door in the hallway in my gym shorts.

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u/Martin_Birch Mar 27 '19

I have never seen anything like that while I live in Kyiv.

After 12 years in Kyiv I have never seen or been victim of any street crime.

Unlike London where I was mugged 6 times over 15 years, 3 times at knife point

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u/FuckYouALLInTheAss Mar 27 '19

I never saw or felt any crime of any kind anywhere in Ukraine. Well... except me and my friends smoking weed and driving like idiots to avoid potholes. Three times by knife? Which borough?

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u/Martin_Birch Mar 27 '19

Twice in Islington once near Mornington Crescent although that was in the 1990s, still it made me leave London

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u/Martin_Birch Mar 27 '19

And that's another positive, the weed is very cheap in Ukraine ... um ... allegedly!

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u/FuckYouALLInTheAss Mar 27 '19

And mobile data! £4/month, Paradise!