145 million people learned about the activities of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center… thanks to the FSB

Recently, all of Russia’s central media outlets, as well as pro-Russian Crimean websites, simultaneously “exploded with a breaking news ”: hackers had allegedly gained access to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center’s data.

The perpetrator of this “operation” was the Russian group KillNet, known for its DoS attacks on NATO government agencies during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian media immediately picked up on the “news” and began competing in fabrications. Here are just some of the “headlines” that appeared in Kremlin publications:

“Crimean Tatar Resource Center* collects data on Crimean residents”
“KillNet: ‘Crimean Tatar Resource Center’* corresponds with Western curators”
“Hackers uncover correspondence between Western curators and the ‘Crimean Tatar Resource Center’”
“The Crimean Tatar Resource Center* was preparing a provocation with leaflets.”
In other words, the Russian media, which regularly “does not see” violent abductions, torture, or illegal convictions of Crimean Tatars, suddenly decided to give the CTRC free advertising to an audience of 145 million people.

Free promotion is always nice, especially when human rights activities hurt propaganda so much.

And what angered them the most?

The occupiers pointed out that “the scandalous organization is known for proposing to rename the cities and villages of Crimea, indicating this not only in Ukrainian documents, but also on maps on the Internet.”

And here’s the most interesting part. Putin himself has repeatedly said that he will “take care of the Crimean Tatars” and that “Russia will restore the historical place names of Crimea.” But in reality, as soon as the conversation turns to Crimean Tatar names, language, or history, the reaction is always the same:

bans,
fake news,
repression.

Russians are even fighting against the Latin alphabet. In Crimea, they are putting up posters quoting federal “laws on the state language and advertising.” These laws state that all inscriptions must be in Russian only, and that the Latin alphabet is only allowed in registered trademarks. Any signs or inscriptions with Latin letters are now considered “hostile.” Business owners are receiving official warnings.

It seems that the Soviet era has returned—now even language can become a “threat to national security.”

Therefore, when the Russian media simultaneously launches fake news about “Western curators,” “leaflets,” and “toponymy,” it means only one thing — the Crimean Tatar Resource Center is telling the truth that they are afraid to hear.