(CRIMEA) – Ukrainian forces have intensified their campaign to isolate the Russian-occupied peninsula, striking fuel depots, ferries and air defence systems in a series of coordinated drone attacks that have halted civilian fuel sales and disrupted electricity and water supplies for the region’s two million residents.
The assault began with a Ukrainian drone strike on the Kerch port fuel depot early on 21 June, a strategically vital facility that supplies fuel to the three ferries operating across the Kerch Strait. The ferries have become increasingly important since the Kerch Bridge is frequently overloaded and subject to attack. Video footage from the scene showed the oil depot engulfed in flames while a queue of 650 vehicles, including cars and buses, formed at the crossing as residents attempted to leave the peninsula. Satellite imagery confirmed that seven fuel silos were destroyed in the fire.
The attack on the fuel depot was followed by strikes on the three ferries themselves, which were left burning and inoperable. Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces also destroyed two Pantsir-S air defence towers positioned near the Kerch Bridge, which had been specifically tasked with defending the bridge, the town and the fuel depot from drone attacks. The air defence systems failed to intercept the Ukrainian drones. Footage of the strikes was released by the Unmanned Systems Forces.
The impact on the civilian population has been immediate and severe. On the morning of 22 June, the Russian-installed occupation administration announced an immediate suspension of fuel sales to civilians, businesses and even holders of ration coupons. Fuel is now reserved exclusively for state security services. In Sevastopol, public transport operating hours were reduced and street lighting was switched off due to pressure on the electrical grid. Pumping stations have ceased operation, resulting in interruptions to water supply. The governor of occupied Crimea confirmed that fuel would not be sold in Sevastopol on 22 and 23 June.
A Russian military blogger reported a catastrophic situation, noting that residents had been asked to disconnect all non-essential electrical appliances. Traffic across the ferry crossings has been halted and fuel tankers have been redirected to the R280 highway, a route that has become a target zone for Ukrainian drones. The blogger also noted that continued silence from the Kremlin would appear inappropriate, adding that serious statements from Moscow were imminent.
Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, issued an apology to the Ukrainian and Tatar populations living under occupation in Crimea, acknowledging the anxiety caused by the constant strikes, closed bridges and power outages. He stated that the isolation of the peninsula was necessary to demilitarise what he described as a staging ground for Russian forces. Footage of the strikes was released by the Unmanned Systems Forces.
The crisis has also exposed Russian military bloggers to scrutiny. A prominent blogger known as Fighterbomber had prematurely announced on his channel that fuel had arrived in Crimea, effectively signalling its location to Ukrainian intelligence. The fuel depot was struck shortly afterwards. The incident highlights the consequences of operational security breaches, with the blogger potentially facing responsibility for the attack.
Residents have begun to express their frustration publicly. One woman filmed a video complaining of a “decadent mood” and a “suppressed feeling” while automatic weapons fire and explosions were audible in the background. Another resident, who rents out an apartment, reported that she had been forced to halve her price from 8,000 rubles (£75; $95) to 4,000 rubles (£37.50; $47.50) after every booking for the next month was cancelled. Passengers travelling by train from Moscow to Crimea were stranded midway after the service was halted due to air alerts.
The campaign has extended beyond Crimea. Ukrainian drones struck the Moscow oil refinery, causing significant damage. Satellite imagery confirmed that five fuel storage tanks were destroyed and the refinery’s processing units were damaged, forcing a complete halt to operations. A shopping centre adjacent to the refinery also caught fire, with approximately one third of the structure destroyed after debris from a Russian air defence missile struck the building. The refinery is expected to remain non-operational for several months or possibly a year. Video footage of the strike was released by Ukrainian military sources.
On the supply routes into Crimea, Ukrainian drones have established effective control over the Novorossiia highway, which runs from Russia through occupied southern Ukraine to the peninsula. Dashcam footage from Russian truck drivers showed vehicles being struck by drones, including one video in which a driver sent footage to his son showing a burning truck and stating: “They smashed a metal truck in the cockpit. The man’s burnt. That’s the road, son.”
In response to the drone threat, the Russian military has begun deploying mobile air defence crews to escort fuel convoys. Footage showed four fuel tankers being escorted by Soviet-era anti-aircraft cannons mounted on vehicles, including the distinctive UAZ “loaf” van, a design that has remained largely unchanged since the 1970s. The escorts have not prevented further strikes on logistics vehicles.
Meanwhile, a separate incident in Russia highlighted tensions over forced mobilisation. Video emerged of a wheelchair-bound veteran of the war in Ukraine attempting to stab a Russian military officer who was forcibly recruiting men from the streets. The veteran, who had lost both legs below the knee, was seen rising from his wheelchair and brandishing a large knife while shouting: “You take kids from their mothers.” The officer managed to avoid the attack. The footage was widely shared on social media.
A prominent Russian military blogger, Yevgeni Golman, warned of worsening conditions, advising followers to stockpile food supplies including buckwheat, butter, salt, matches and canned meat in preparation for an autumn crisis. He also urged people to plant potatoes, stating: “We will have to eat them fried, boiled, steamed in jackets or peasant style.”
In the occupied territories, the fuel crisis has been compounded by reports of price gouging at stations that still have supplies. Some Russians were reportedly paying the equivalent of $8.24 per gallon for fuel, compared with a United States national average of $3.20.
The Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has not made any public statement regarding the attacks on Crimea or the Moscow refinery. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed only that “measures are being taken” to address the fuel crisis.
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