Thread by @ja_friedrich

What does life under Russian occupation look like?

I collected stories of Ukrainians who lived through occupation in 2022-23 to understand Russia's occupation practice and its human cost. Taken together, these individual experiences show a grim reality👇
gppi.net/2024/07/30/lif…

“Occupation means fear. The fear is a total, all-encompassing emotion.”

Occupiers use violence systematically. Russian forces have specifically targeted those considered to be “pro-Ukrainian.” Violence has also occurred randomly, particularly during more chaotic phases.

“The forceful passportization was humiliating"

Russia’s occupation follows a clear strategy. It aims to erase Ukrainian identity, permanently alter demographics, integrate Ukrainian territory into Russia’s administrative and economic structures in increasingly irreversible ways.

"The hardest part is when people you’ve known all your life then decide to go for the ‘Russian world’ and betray you."

Occupation destroys social ties. It has fueled mistrust between people through experiences of denunciation and betrayal.

“People thought the world had forgotten about them.”

The reasons for escaping or staying are multi-faceted.
The fact that someone remains in an occupied area, even for years, cannot serve as a clear-cut indicator of their political allegiance.

“It was very difficult to live through all this. I do not wish it on anyone.”

The human cost is immense. While occupation is often framed in territorial terms, its real impact is on the people who live through it.

I'm very grateful to colleagues @GPPi, to @AHeinemannGrud and VW-Stiftung, to Yuliia Siedaia & Dmytro Gabsaliamov for thier suppot and most of all to the Ukrainians who trusted me with their experiences.