Ukraine preparing 'priority measures' following liberation of Crimea

Ukraine is preparing "priority measures" following the liberation of Crimea, Permanent Representative of the Ukrainian President in Crimea Tamila Tasheva said on April 25.

"We have instructions from the president to develop and prepare a plan for priority measures in Crimea, which will be carried out immediately after its de-occupation. We have already received meaningful answers from the state authorities," Tasheva said.

According to Tasheva, the liberation of Crimea will be followed by the return of Ukrainian public authorities, starting with a military administration before transitioning to a military-civilian administration and then to "normal" everyday life.

The Crimean Peninsula has been under Russian occupation since 2014 following a fake referendum staged by Russia to annex the territory.

Since then, many local residents have been imprisoned for resisting the occupation, while Russian citizens flocked to the peninsula. The Russian military has also established a military base there.

There are 180 political prisoners currently being held in occupied Crimea, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Feb. 26.

In mid-March, Ukraine's National Resistance Center also reported that Russia was intensifying mobilization efforts throughout the Crimean Peninsula.

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Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell