The commander raising a Crimean battalion to take it back from the Russians

Crimea, with its strategic location, is a central focus in this war. In this issue from Kyiv and Istanbul, we examine the profound connections that Ukrainians, Crimeans and Turks have to this place.

Editor’s note: Personal, multi-country reporting that examines complex historical, cultural and military Ukrainian storylines takes a lot of time… and a lot of resources! We hope that if you have the means, you’ll upgrade to a paid subscription to help us keep going!

Lenur Islyamov at his desk, in an office just outside Kyiv (Photo by Aaron Chamski)

Commander Lenur Islyamov, dressed in military attire, sits at his desk, eager to begin.

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