Мердвен - каясу
The place
Мердвен - каясу ("Merdven-Kayasu, Rocky Staircase") in Crimea, Balaklava/Yalta area (Greater Yalta, Ukraine de jure/annexed by Russia de facto since 2014, Ukraine), at 874 m elevation, on the Ai-Petri flank of the Crimean Mountains. New Crimea cluster, batch 363. **INTERNATIONAL STATUS**: Crimea annexed by Russia on 18 March 2014 following an illegal referendum (UN General Assembly resolution 68/262, 27 March 2014, anti-annexation, 100 countries voting + international community officially recognizes Crimea as Ukraine + de facto controlled by Russia post-2022 invasion of Ukraine). Old Crimean Tatar alpine shelter, "Merdven-Kayasu" meaning traditional rocky staircase + heritage of the Crimean Tatars (a Turkic-Tatar people, 300,000 deported to Kazakhstan in 1944 under Stalin, 46% died, survivors returned from 1989 + 200,000 living in Crimea pre-2014, 30% exodus post-RU annexation + ban on the Tatar language + 1996 Ukrainian Constitution recognizing the minority).
The setting
Crimea Balaklava/Yalta Greater Yalta Ukraine de jure/annexed RU de facto 2014 Ukraine 874 m Ai-Petri, new cluster batch 363, STATUS annexed 18 March 2014 illegal referendum UN 68/262 27 March 2014 100 countries + Crimea=Ukraine officially + de facto RU post-2022 Ukraine, Crimean Tatar shelter Merdven-Kayasu rocky staircase, Crimean Tatars Turkic-Tatar 300,000 deported to Kazakhstan 1944 Stalin 46% died 1989 return + 200,000 pre-2014 30% exodus post-annexation + ban on Tatar language + 1996 UA Constitution minority.
