New Kyiv Independent documentary reveals how Russia prepared to seize Crimea since the early 1990s
The Kyiv Independent's War Crimes Investigations Unit has released the first part of a new two-part documentary, "Crimea: The War Before the War."
The documentary investigates how Russia steadily expanded its presence in Crimea and, in violation of international law, sought to seize control of the peninsula from the moment Ukraine declared independence in 1991, through military assaults, political schemes, and even coup plots.
The documentary is available to watch on the Kyiv Independent's YouTube channel.
Yevheniia Motorevska, the film's investigative reporter and lead producer, said the team spent nearly a year reviewing memoirs, researching archives, and interviewing witnesses to pinpoint when Russia's aggression against Crimea began.
The division of the Black Sea Fleet, one of the Soviet Union's five fleets, became a focal point of their investigation.
"In the 1990s, Russia used pressure and blackmail to gain control over most of the fleet. It was these Black Sea Fleet forces that Russia used to annex Crimea in 2014. And in 2022, Russian troops launched their invasion of other southern regions of Ukraine from Crimea," Motorevska said.
"For me, it was important to show, among other things, the cost of concessions to Russia," she added.
At the time of the Soviet collapse, the Black Sea Fleet consisted of more than 800 vessels and auxiliary ships, employed over 70,000 people, and included nuclear-capable units, a fleet larger than some European navies. Although most of the fleet was based on Ukrainian territory, Russia moved quickly to prevent it from coming under Kyiv's control.
"The order was announced very clearly: 'We will not take the Ukrainian oath! We answer only to the Russian defense minister and our commander-in-chief,'" recalls Zinur Lyapin, a former senior communications officer of the Black Sea Fleet.
The documentary reveals how Ukrainian officers who attempted to bring units under Kyiv's authority faced intimidation, arrests, and retaliation. In one of the film's central episodes, a brigade of the Black Sea Fleet based on Lake Donuzlav voluntarily swore allegiance to Ukraine — a move that nearly triggered armed confrontation.
"If we [take the CIS oath], we could lose the fleet," says Ihor Teniukh, who later became commander of Ukraine's Navy.
Commander Yurii Shalyt, who led one of the first Ukrainian-loyal units, recalls being placed under arrest by pro-Russian fleet command after taking the oath.
"...I had to stay in my cabin and was not allowed to leave. On top of that, a guard was assigned to watch me. I could only leave under escort to use the restroom," he says. "[Russian officer asked] 'How much salo (cured pork fat) did they offer you?' I told him, 'This is what I stand for.'"
Other officers describe systematic sabotage during the fleet's eventual division: damaged wiring, destroyed equipment, and even deliberate contamination of ships handed over to Ukraine.
"It was basically scrap metal," Teniukh says in the film.
The film traces how these early confrontations were followed by political destabilization efforts in Crimea, Russian parliamentary claims over Sevastopol, and the rise of Russia-backed, openly pro-Russian movements on the peninsula.
The second part of the documentary will continue the investigation into how these early compromises shaped the conditions that made the 2014 annexation possible.
The Kyiv Independent's War Crimes Investigations Unit was established in 2023 to focus on war crimes committed during Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. Led by some of Ukraine's top investigative journalists, the unit produced 11 documentaries to date.
The War Crimes Investigations Unit's work is supported by the Kyiv Independent readers. Consider signing up for membership to join the community helping keep Russia accountable.
The team behind the film:
Investigative reporter and lead producer: Yevheniia Motorevska
Film Director: Maksym Yakobchuk
Video Editor: Glib Sushchev
Cinematographers: Oleh Halaidych, Andriy Roliuk
Researcher: Kostiantyn Nechyporenko
Executive Producer: Anastasiia Mozghova
Line Producer: Dmytro Tsapro
Head of War Crimes Investigations Unit: Yevheniia Motorevska
Editor-in-Chief of the Kyiv Independent: Olga Rudenko
