Den’s 16th Photo Exhibition has recently completed its tour of Ukraine. The 10th and last community to invite the forum to be its guest was Olhopil, Vinnytsia oblast. In terms of audience interest and the total number of visitors, this year was truly the record one for the photo exhibition. By the way, our next photo festival, which is already preparing to open its doors to visitors, looks to be no less spectacular, as evidenced by the quality and quantity of pictures that have been received by the editorial office.
The occupation of Crimea was certainly an important theme at past year’s photo exhibition. Here, a series of works by Oleh TERESHCHENKO called “Crimea. March 2014” is worth recalling. It won a prize from the competition’s Internet partner, the Adamant Company. As a native of Crimea, Tereshchenko managed to show the tragic hopelessness of the situation in his pictures better than others. The staff photographer of Komsomolskaya Pravda v Ukraine newspaper recalled the conditions he had to work under in Crimea and his thoughts in that time in an interview with our newspaper.
Why did you find yourself in Crimea then?
“I came to the peninsula on March 1, 2014, two weeks before the so-called ‘referendum.’ It was a usual editorial assignment, I was to film everything that was happening around. I had no clue then that the ‘referendum’ might ultimately result in the outcome we know. It is clear that the locals would never dare do something of the sort without the ‘neighborly help.’
ON THE EVE OF THE “REFERENDUM.” THE VILLAGE OF PEREVALNE, THE AUTONOMOUS REPUBLIC OF CRIMEA / Photo by Oleh TERESHCHENKO
“I was astonished by the situation of our military units. Not all soldiers defected to the Russian side, but there was some uncertainty, as no orders were coming from Kyiv. For unknown reasons, Ukrainian soldiers did not try to influence the course of events, and the ships in the Bay of Donuzlav lay idly. The only exceptions were perhaps Yulii Mamchur’s march against the invaders at the Belbek airfield and resistance offered by the Feodosia marines.
“Most of my former colleagues and friends from Crimea were of pro-Ukrainian persuasion at the time. Later on, they all suffered under the new Russian administration, which effectively banned them from the profession. However, when I just arrived in Crimea, the Ukrainian flag was still allowed on the region’s streets, and even pickets were still feasible, even though ‘Self-Defense’ militants and ‘Cossacks’ were already trying to hinder them in every manner. After the ‘referendum,’ everything changed dramatically, effectively making any pro-Ukrainian or Crimean Tatar rally an illegal gathering. Coming to them became simply dangerous. I felt very strongly the atmosphere of contempt for all things Ukrainian.”
Your photo A Stoic was taken during one of the last pro-Ukrainian rallies, was not it?
“Yes. I took it in the center of Simferopol a week before the ‘referendum.’ In addition to holding a rally, the people with Ukrainian symbols gathered then to clean up the city park. The man with the flag (pictured) stood a bit to the side, and seemed to be a very principled person to me. I do not know his fate after that event.”
Did you realize then that your photos may one day become evidence to be presented before an international court?
“If the ‘little green men’s appearance in the streets left some room for doubt, the attack on the military base in Feodosia made it unambiguously clear that we were witnessing a crime. I could not help but think that it all was just some nonsense and that eventually, the Crimeans themselves would reject propaganda and call a spade a spade.
“On the first day of my visit to Crimea, I went to Sevastopol with local colleagues. There is the old market in the city center, located near Ukrainian military unit’s barracks. The latter was blocked by Russian soldiers without insignia. One of them was walking through the market brandishing a machine gun. This happened in broad daylight, there were many children around. When I took out my camera and tried to film him, locals attacked me. When asked about the soldier’s identity, they told me: ‘He is one of ours, a citizen of Sevastopol.’ Today, I try to analyze who were the people who supported the occupiers in Crimea. I believe they can be called jingoists. I think they were unable to even comprehend what they were doing.
“Meanwhile, I could not understand inaction of most Crimeans, and wondered how they could tolerate masked men in their streets! I remember an Ural truck, loaded with ‘little green men,’ which we saw at the gate of our military base in Donuzlav. When we approached them and took out a camera, they gathered their belongings and left. Probably, they were still aware of the illegality of their actions. Why did the Crimeans fail to act in this manner everywhere, I do not understand. My photos’ role as evidence of an international crime became finally clear to me immediately on my return to Kyiv, when I saw stories about persecution of pro-Ukrainian citizens on the peninsula.”
In the present circumstances, would you agree to go to Crimea and take some photos?
“My parents live there, but I would not go there on a journalistic assignment. The reason is simple. I do not like photographing clandestinely, and to do it openly there is very hard now. Although from a legal point of view, there are no obstacles for it, any journalist would find working in today’s Crimea awkward, for the atmosphere is frankly gloomy. For example, I would be interested to film the airfield in Yevpatoria, which was out of action under the Ukrainian administration, but has allegedly been reopened lately. However, no journalist is allowed to get there now. At the same time, it makes no sense for me to film empty beaches. Should Ukraine finally offer a clear plan of action, a vision of the future to the Crimeans, I would gladly go to the peninsula, to prepare a report in this context in spite of any obstacles.”
What is Den’s Photo Contest’s meaning for you as a photographer?
“Participation in Den’s Photo Contest was important for me as a Crimean native and a photographer that films Crimea. I wanted to bring the Crimean context to the event! I will certainly participate this year, too, and have already prepared two photo stories.”
