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Plast Movement in Crimea

The history of the origin, development, and activities of branches of the National Scout Organization of Ukraine "Plast" in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea from the mid-1990s to the russian occupation of 2014, and their continuation in exile.

Overview

The revival of the Ukrainian Plast movement in independent Ukraine in the early 1990s also reached the Crimean Peninsula. In the mid-1990s, Plast branches emerged in Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yevpatoriya, Yalta, and Kerch. The Sevastopol stanytsia (branch) of the National Scout Organization of Ukraine "Plast", officially founded on March 3, 1997, became the central hub of Plast life.

Crimean Plast members (plastuny) held annual summer camps and regional educational training courses (notably the camp of the Crimean Okruha "Principality of Theodoro" near the cave city of Eski-Kermen in the summer of 2013), participated in all-Ukrainian Plast events (Orlykiada in Rivne), and cooperated with Ukrainian civic and religious figures in Crimea. After the occupation of the peninsula in 2014, the activities of "Plast" in Crimea were rendered impossible, and Crimean Plast members continued their work in exile.

Key Details / Subtopics

  • Historical context: Ukrainian traditions of youth education (from 15th–16th century brotherhoods to the founding of "Plast" on April 12, 1912) and the restoration of Plast in Ukraine (1989–1990).
  • Establishment of branches in Crimea: In the first years of independence, branches operated in Simferopol, Sevastopol, Yevpatoriya, Yalta, and Kerch. From 2005 onwards, the Sevastopol stanytsia remained the key organizational base.
  • Sevastopol Stanytsia: Founded on March 3, 1997 (the first General Assembly). The first patrol (hurtok) was named "Chayky" (Seagulls) (Mariya Protsak, Zina Belanyuk, Iryna Topilina, Yulya Yermoshkina). In the autumn of 1996, Sevastopol Plast members won 3rd place at Orlykiada in Rivne.
  • Branches in Bakhchysarai: The creation of the branch began with preparatory work by civic activist Andriy Shchekun (opening Ukrainian-language groups in kindergartens and classes in schools), the involvement of Plast members from Sevastopol and Simferopol, and the participation of his sons Oleksiy and Volodymyr Shchekun.
  • Camp training courses: Crimean Plast members participated in all-Ukrainian camps and organized summer camps on the peninsula. The last summer camp of the Crimean Okruha, "Principality of Theodoro", took place in the summer of 2013 near the cave city of Eski-Kermen. Pastoral care at the camp was provided by the chaplain of the Crimean Okruha, Archbishop Klyment (UOC-KP), and Andriy Shchekun, head of the NGO "Ukrainian House", was a guest.
  • Plast in Crimea after the occupation (since 2014): Due to the russian occupation, legal activities of the organization on the peninsula became impossible. Crimean Plast members resumed activities in mainland Ukraine (in particular, Volodymyr Shchekun created the Plast patrol "Schaslyvi Levy" [Happy Lions] in the village of Schaslyve in the Boryspil region).
  • Strongly! Beautifully! Cautiously! Swiftly! — article by Maksym Dubovyas in the newspaper Krymska Svitlytsia (2018, No. 16).
  • Andriy Shchekun — civic activist, head of the NGO "Ukrainian House", who contributed to the development of Plast in Bakhchysarai and participated in Plast camps.
  • Volodymyr Shchekun — Crimean Plast member, founder of the Plast patrol "Schaslyvi Levy" in exile.
  • Archbishop Klyment (Kushch) — chaplain of the Crimean Okruha of "Plast", Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea.
  • Maksym Dubovyas — author of the article on the history of the Plast movement in Crimea.
  • Sevastopol — city of foundation of the Sevastopol Stanytsia of "Plast" (1997).
  • Cave Towns of Crimea — near the cave city of Eski-Kermen in the summer of 2013, the "Principality of Theodoro" camp was held.