Postproduction script
ALL PIX ABC – CRAIG BERKMAN EXCEPT WHERE MARKEDCONCERT
SUPER: SEMFIROPOL, CRIMEA
SUPER: MOSCOW RULES
ERIC WATCHING
SUPER: REPORTER ERIC CAMPBELLMUSIC
Eurovision is just around
the corner … and Ukraine’s a former winner.
But these artists aren’t
prepping for the world’s biggest songfest … they’re rocking for the referendum.
UPSOT/MUSIC/WOOH
Technically, Crimea is
still a province of Ukraine.
But these ethnic Russians
are about to vote overwhelmingly to join neighbouring
Russia.
Not so long ago seceding
from Ukraine would have been unthinkable.
Now Russian unity is all
anyone seems to talk about.
Just ask the pro-Russian
militia alongside the Cossacks guarding the buildings of the pro-Russian
government.
MIKHAIL GRAB (ENGLISH) Yes,
actual legendary Russian Cossack . You know we’re
different, we’re just volunteers MIHAIL WITH COSSACKSThe militias were set up in February to defend Crimea against supposed
Ukrainian aggression.
Cossacks have poured in
from southern Russia to back them up.
So they just got on the ferry and came
straight over to support their fellow Russians. And they put on their hats. And
people love them, take pictures with them.
Mikhail Mossin moved to America in the 90s after the Soviet Union
fell apart and Russia and Ukraine became separate countries.
Now he’s scared his
homeland is being taken over by fascists.MIKHAIL
(ENGLISH) Ukraine now is in such a
harsh situation with all these strange movements politically, whether they’re
extreme nationalists or Neo Nazis I don’t know, I just don’t want these kinds
of things happening in the Crimea and that’s why I want to give it a chance.
Ukrainian television has
been blocked in much of Crimea.
But turn on any Russian channel and you’ll see Ukraine’s capital Kiev is allegedly run by maniacs.
(RUSSIAN)
In Ukraine another regime takes power in a violent takeover. This regime is reckless, cynical and cruel.
Last month’s revolution, when mass protests forced out a corrupt, pro-Russian president, were seen in the West as a fight for freedom.
Russia media say it was a
CIA coup that installed a government of Neo-Nazis.
UPSOT RUSSIAN-
Law and agreements mean nothing, even if the international community guarantees them. People’s lives and the most basic human rights of property, of language and civil rights also mean nothing.
It was the pretext for Moscow flooding Crimea with troops to protect ethnic Russians.PTC
In nearly two decades of covering the former Soviet Union this is one
of the most extraordinary things I’ve seen.
With breath-taking speed,
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has organised an
armed takeover of part of a neighbouring country and
he’s even staged a referendum to make it look legal.
Ukraine, indeed
all of Europe and the US, have been impotent to stop him.
And there are fears he
could do the same thing in Ukraine’s eastern regions where ethnic Russians
dominate.
MIKHAIL GRABPutin has promised that if Russians are attacked in Ukraine, anywhere, then they will take measures including ultimate measures. That’s why the people who control Kiev now they’re not going to do anything about that otherwise chances are they may not control Kiev for long . CHURCH LITURGY
CHURCH MUSIC
Crimea holds a special
place in the hearts of Russian nationalists.
Most believe it should
never have been governed by Ukraine in the first place.
Imperial Russia conquered
the Crimean peninsula way back in the 18th
century.
In 1922 it was swallowed
up in the Soviet Union, which united Russia and Ukraine under Communism.
TOF SUPER: ‘Three Plus Two' 1963
FLASHING TRAFFIC, STROLLING TO TABLE
SWIMMING
COUPLE TOASTINGMUSIC
For many decades Crimea
was the Soviet Union’s favourite holiday spot.
Millions would come to
enjoy its warm summers and Black Sea beaches.
Others could enjoy it
through cheesy Soviet movies.
RUSSIAN
GIRL SWIMMER: Are you a
doctor? Can I ask you something?
MAN: You can try.
CHECK SUB-TITLING
UPSOT TOAST:
MAN: I have an idea. What
if all police looked like you?YEVGENIY Walking into
wine shop 06.38.41When Yevgeniy Snezhkin was born here in 1951, Crimea was still part of
Soviet Russia.
But when he was three, the
Soviet leadership transferred it to Soviet Ukraine.
Back then, it hardly
mattered … borders were just lines on a Soviet map.Thought-track YEVGENIY under him talking to wine sellerWe didn’t consider it a different country.
What we call Russia now we didn’t consider. All of us were living in the same
big and good country, Soviet Union.
Yevgeniy grew up enjoying
Crimea’s culture and its surprisingly fine wine.
But when he turned 40 the
Soviet Union disintegrated and Russia and Ukraine
became separate nations.
Russian Crimeans found
themselves stranded in a foreign country.
SUPER: YEVGENIY SYNCH
Retired academicAnd I felt kind of offended
because nobody asked me if I want to change citizenship, nobody asked me if I
want Soviet Union broken up?
Unlike some Russian speakers, he soon got used to being Ukrainian.
Now 63, Yevgeniy loves Crimea whichever country it’s in.
But he’s appalled by how
Putin is dragging it back to Russia.
21.10 I am not agree with the way Crimea ‘joining’ Russia.
E: Why not?
Y. It’s Anschluss, German
word.
E: That’s a pretty strong comparison, that was Hitler who took over
Austria.
Y: Yeah, everyone make the parallel between those events in 1938 and now.
GIRLS IN FLAGUp on the city
square, these Russian-speakers are desperate for
Putin’s embrace.
They’ve bought his pitch
that Ukraine and many Ukrainians are a dangerous threat.RUSSIAN SPEECH
NEEDS SUBTITLINGEric: What do you think of the new government in
Kiev?
In Kiev? We have been watching for three months what they were doing in Kiev. They were burning people, they were shooting riot police and we don’t want these things to come here. I think this new government is illegal and they have got power by means of a coup. We didn’t choose. They gained power by force. UPSOT RUSSIA TODAY
http://rt.com/news/ukraine-crimea-fascists-forces-707/
Crimea is on the defensive. Russian TV networks and the Kremlin-funded foreign service, Russia Today, have been showing Crimeans preparing for a Ukrainian invasion.But if you want peace, prepare for war.YEVGENIY29.56 It reminds me of the propaganda of Soviet time now. They say about the same thing many, many times. Fascist, fascist, fascist. They don’t tell about other opinions.SOLDIERS INSIDE BELBEK BASE
GUYS OUTSIDE SEMFIROPOL BASE
OTHER GUYS Rather than
gearing up for a fight, Ukraine has ordered its soldiers in Crimea to stand
down.
Pro-Russian militias have
surrounded Ukrainian bases, demanding they hand over their weapons.
At this base, we had an interview arranged with a Ukrainian general.
The volunteer militia wouldn’t let us in
and they wouldn’t let the general out to talk to us.
They even called reinforcements.ERIC PTC AT BASE
I hope they’ve got enough guys now because there’s three of us and only about 65 of them.UKRAINIAN RALLY
STATUE
UPSOT RALLY
If anything, it’s ethnic
Ukrainians who have reason to be frightened.
Viktoria Polishchuk braved one of the few demonstrations here
against joining Russia.
VIKTORIA - 38.46 My family’s scared about me. They know that I am patriotic person, that I have pro-Ukrainian moods. And they are saying don’t speak Ukrainian outside, don’t take your camera they will think you are media and beat you.
The rally marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Taras Schevchenko, Ukraine’s most beloved poet.VIKTORIA
CHANGED LINE
All his poetry is about our freedom and how we should fight for it.
But in deference to her parents, she promises to keep a low profile for now.
39.09 I respect my family. I
don’t want to make the troubles for them. I will live here for now just as a
normal citizen. But I cannot stop thinking about how they are humiliating us.
RUSSIANS
RUSSIANS RUNNINGJust metres away stood a group of ethnic Russians, seemingly
itching for a fight.
They tried to find a way in that wasn’t blocked by police but were kind enough to speak to us as they left.RUNNING INTERVIEW
RUSSIAN SPEECH
NEEDS SUBTITLING ERIC: How is
the situation here?
VLAD: Fine. Everything is
under our control. Crimea has chosen Russia. We will not let the enemy in.
TATAR VILLAGE
MOSQUE
TOF SUPER :”COLLECTIVE FOLK”, 1939
UPSOT
Ethnic Ukrainians aren’t
the only ones worried about being seen as enemies.
This is Bakhchiserai, the former capital of Crimea when Muslim
Tatars ruled the peninsula.
Tsarist Russia deposed
their leaders in the 18th century.
In the 20th
century Soviets forced them onto collective farms.
All the workers, men and women, are part owners of the farm, which may
account for the happy smiles and the work itself is profitable. The collective
farm is equipped with the latest appliance
Propaganda painted them as
happy peasants.
The smiling faces of the
children lend colour to the happy picture. They can’t
help being little Tatars but in Tatar country that’s not surprising. And while
the girls shake a twinkling foot the boys look on with a twinkling eye.
YAKUB: RUSSIAN SPEECH
NEEDS SUBTITLING Never. We
have never wanted to be part of Russia.WALKINGYakub Alpazov came to hate Russian
interference in Tatar culture and religion.
But that wasn’t Moscow’s
greatest crime.
He introduces me to Aigar Aga, a survivor of a little known
genocide.
In 1944 the Soviet
dictator Stalin deported the entire Tatar population to Central Asia in fear
they’d join the Nazis.RUSSIAN SPEECH
NEEDS TRANSLATING
I was eight years old when we
were deported. We were all thrown in cattle wagons. They closed all the doors
for three days and nights until our train left Crimea. Only after three days
did they opened the doors, but only for 30 cm to give us a bit of fresh air. PRAYING IN MOSQUEHalf of them
died of starvation and disease before the survivors were allowed back in the
1990s.
At least now they can
practice their faith in this 300-year-old mosque.
In Soviet times, it was
used as a disco.
Yakub is praying Moscow won’t rule here again.(RUSSIAN) NEEDS SUBTITLING
(RUSSIAN)
Q: What sort of man is
Putin?
A: He is dreadful, oppressive and ambitious. He doesn’t think about democracy.
Now we are taking very
seriously what is happening to Crimea because aggressors have come. They have
automatic weapons and they dictate their conditions to
us. Like in 1941 when Hitler dictated to the whole world. Now, roughly
speaking, we see the same.
PORTHalf an hour’s drive
south, in the naval port of Sevastopol, people see history very differently.
This was a place of
Russian heroism, from conquering savage Muslims to fighting British invaders in
the Crimean War.
It was also one of the
bloodiest battlegrounds of World War Two, when Soviet troops and sailors fought
bravely against Nazis … the real ones.
Unscrambling the Soviet
legacy won’t be easy.
PTC ON HILL
AT 04.02.00
This was the headquarters
of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, the greatest projection of communism’s naval
power.
Now after the Soviet Union
dissolved, Russia and Ukraine agreed to split the fleet between them, Moscow
renting its facilities from Kiev. So today you have Russian and Ukrainian ships
virtually side by side, many with commanders who served together in the same
navy. Now of course, they’re on opposing sides.
The separatist Crimean
government says Ukraine’s soldiers and sailors must make a choice … switch
sides to Russia or leave Crimea.
Ukraine looks set to not
only lose the hundreds of millions of dollars Russia’s been paying in rent, but
its main naval port.
The dream for ethnic
Russians is that Crimea can return to its former greatness,
when it was Mother Russia’s defender and her playground.
They say that since
Ukraine became independent 23 years ago, Kiev has been stealing all its riches.
MIKHAIL GRAB
They just took money from
us. And now our infrastructure is just falling apart, lots of our buildings
need to be renovated, health care is terrible, pensions are very, very poor
//
We don’t like and we think
that with Moscow’s support we’ll be able to re-build our status as a favourite spot for all the Russians to come
And enjoy it. The weather,
the sunshine and of course the wine.
3.21.40 E: A lot of western
media says this is all being directed by Putin and Moscow is organising all this. Is that true?
3.21.49 Well if I were Putin I would do the same.
I mean come on this is prime real estate. I mean he built a whole new
city around Sochi just for the Olympics. That guy is not stupid.
PUNCH-UP IN PARLIAMENT
& POLITICAL ARCHIVE
In one sense, you can
hardly blame Crimeans for wanting to leave Ukraine.
This is the Ukrainian
parliament in action, seen here in 2010 discussing whether to extend Russia’s
naval lease.
Since independence,
Ukraine’s political leaders have been as dysfunctional as they were corrupt.
BANG BANG
By the end of last year
Ukrainians in the capital, Kiev had finally had enough.
They took over the main
square, known as Maidan and staged three months of often violent protest.
They succeeded in ousting
a blatantly pro-Russian president who had set new standards for plundering the
State.
More than a hundred
protesters and 16 police were killed.
Demjen and Eric walking around Maidan
UPSOT
Demjin Doroschenko is a descendant of one of Ukraine’s noble
families and a first generation Australian.
We met him in Kiev
where he’d come for a family Christmas visit and stayed to join the
demonstrations against the teetering government.
He was in the thick of the violence, helping the
protestors get the pictures out to the world.
DEMMI OVERLAY WITH DEMJEN
VIDEOWe were deliberately shot with
rubber bullets. We were deliberately,
ah, tear gassed with with tear gas grenades. We were deliberately had concussion grenades
thrown at us.
// This
went on for days and days. Q [00:44:31 Why were you going through all
of this then when it was so dangerous and so hard?
A it’s a passion, a nationalistic, um, feeling I have for
Ukraine and wanting to help Ukraine and to do whatever I can with my skills, my
knowledge, my education
Man in coffin
Chant: ‘Geroi nye Pomerait’
More Demjen video/ stills
UPSOT
He has seen many of his
fellow protestors die.
This is the latest victim, a man who succumbed to gunshot wounds after weeks in hospital.
UPSOT UKRAINIAN
Heroes never die. Heroes
never die
UPSOT DEMMI
[01:19:52] Every day it
just affects you here [beats chest].
But Demjen
concedes that not all of the protestors were
freedom-loving democrats.
Among their ranks were
radical nationalists, even Neo-Nazis.
Some extremists have been
given positions in the interim government until elections are held in May.
DEMJIN GRABI can’t deny it and
there is, ah, some ultra-nationalists. I
mean with any organisation or any social group you do
get people who are ultra-nationalists and who, you know, believe that, you
know, ‘Well get rid of the Jews, get rid of the Russians and just have only
Ukrainians in Ukraine’. I mean there
are, ah, several groups like that. Ah,
we don’t subscribe to their opinions and, and to their way of thinking.
[00:48:25]
Maidan is more about peace, promoting peace and, and a free democracy, ah, but unfortunately we have to live with all types of people and
that’s just one, one of the things that we have to do here.
Q Are
people in Crimea then right to be slightly worried about what’s happening here
and to feel they are somewhat threatened?
I don’t
think so…
And that’s perpetrated really by the, the Russian media. Um, even though the ultra-nationalists are around it’s, they aren’t threatening them. We don’t see them going down to Crimea and to bashing up, you know, Russians in Crimea or going to Kharkiv and bashing up Russians in Kharkiv or Donetsk or somewhere like that.GO PRO SHOT INTO CHECKPOINT
NEEDS SUB-TITLING
To make sure no supporters of the new government
could reach Crimea, the local pro-Russian government locked down the province
ahead of its controversial referendum on secession.
Cars and trains from Kiev
were searched; flights were cancelled.
Outside observers weren’t welcome.
UPSOT IN RUSSIAN
Q. What are you filming?
A. Nothing
Billboards painted the
referendum as a stark choice between living under Ukrainian fascism or Russian
protection.
Crimea’s Tatars,
remembering Moscow’s mass deportations, refused to vote, lining the roads in
protest.
But ethnic Russians turned
out en masse.
UPSOT ENGLISH TEACHER
We return home, we’ve been
waiting for this day for many, many years.
There was no way of voting
to stay in Ukraine.
The options were
independence in all but name or joining Russia.
UPSOT SINGER
And to absolutely nobody’s
surprise, the result was overwhelmingly in favour of
joining Russia.
Spontaneous celebrations
erupted with security provided by Russian nationalists.
UPSOT It remains to be seen
if Russia can bring peace and prosperity to Crimea in a union almost no other
country will recognise.
Yevgeniy Snezhkin intends to stay here, even if Crimea becomes an
international pariah.
After all he’s seen, it
will take more than a global crisis to make him leave his home.
31.12 We used to say life is given just once. And real men should
finish it in Crimea.
E: Yevgeniy, thank you very
much and
Best of luck whatever
happens.
Y. Thank you. And finish
your wine.