On March 12, 2014, we went to a neighboring village, which is in the Kherson region. We were three in the car - the driver, I and my girlfriend. We were returning about 6 pm. On the administrative border of the Crimea and the Kherson region was the traffic police post, which has now turned into a checkpoint and the base of the occupiers. There - military equipment with Russian military numbers 90, 95, 99, tents, armored personnel carriers, mortars, first aid post, field kitchens, Russian flags and "defenders" - military unmarked, Russian Cossacks, Caucasians (apparently Chechens) and local "self-defenders" ", at that time there were 100 people," writes Liliana Krymskaya in a column on "Crimea. Realities ".

Stop and inspect all cars, check the documents, while none appears, all masks and machines. We were stopped, we approached the driver first, asked to show the documents, he opened his passport, but the "defender" tore the one from his hands. Naturally, our driver was indignant and we too - they say, is the passport of a citizen of Ukraine and should watch it without removing it from our hands. What started here!.

We were immediately surrounded by 6-7 people, started demanding to get out of the car (which we did not do), and the chief inspector began to yell that this passport can be thrown out altogether, there is no such state of Ukraine, it's unwashed and hungry for two weeks is on duty and us protects. I snapped that he was not invited here at all, and I do not need to defend myself. Then he stood in front of the car, pointed at us the machine gun, jerked the bolt and said that he had an order to shoot at the defeat. He was stunned, with glass eyes, in a mask, he stood and screamed that he would not let us pass, and he does not care that we are with the Crimean residence permit and are going home.

His companions slightly calmed him, and we were ordered to drive the car to the roadside, where we stood for an hour and a half, until a new shift arrived at 8 pm. Only then we checked our documents once again, checked the car, checked out the handbag, read the lecture, that we should behave decently, joked that now we know where we are registered and will come to visit, and then allowed to drive to the city.

But the main thing that at that time was absolutely not scary, but there was such anger and hatred towards them all and only one thought in my head - that he was afraid of me, did not mention his name, hides his face and threatens me, a small fragile woman automatic. Fear and awareness of what was happening came afterwards, at home, when the hands began to shake and a sense of impotence appeared.

The text was first published in March 2015.

Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty Join also the TSN group. Blogs on facebook and follow the updates of the section!.