In September 2003, Ukrainian border guards urgently reported that — without any prior warning — Russia had begun building a dam from their shore to the Ukrainian island of Tuzla. Ukraine immediately deployed troops and prepared to defend its borders. It marked Russia's first open attempt to seize Ukrainian territory.

The construction of the dam continued for more than a month. Eventually, Russia halted the work less than 100 meters from Ukrainian land. But sources interviewed by the Kyiv Independent say the incident was a "rehearsal" for the future seizure of Crimea.

In the second part of our historical investigation, "Crimea: The War Before the War," the Kyiv Independent team continues to investigate how Russia expanded its presence in Crimea from the 1990s onward. The documentary draws on testimonies, memoirs, and video and photo archives, including unique footage from the island of Tuzla, unseen for more than 20 years, which was handed to our team by a Commander of the Border Guard Detachment that was deployed to Tuzla.

Our team documents how, even after the Tuzla crisis, Russia did not abandon its efforts to expand its influence in Crimea. In the 2000s, senior Russian officials launched so-called cultural and educational projects on the peninsula, with the real aim of cultivating a sense of belonging to the "Russian world" among Crimeans. At the same time, Moscow invested in the development of pro-Russian movements and political projects in the area.

The documentary also explores Russia's preparation for the annexation of the peninsula during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Under the pretext of ensuring safety at the international event, it deployed troops to southern Russia — forces that would later take part in the seizure of Crimea.

The Kyiv Independent team has gathered testimonies from top Crimean officials from the time, examined video and photo archives, and studied memoirs of witnesses who saw Russia gradually expand its presence on the peninsula long before the annexation. Here, the Kyiv Independent presents the second part of the historical documentary "Crimea: The War Before the War."