(CRIMEA) – Ukrainian forces have conducted a series of coordinated strikes on military and logistical targets across the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, disrupting fuel supplies and electricity generation for the region’s estimated two million residents.
In the most recent wave of attacks on the night of 21-22 June, Ukrainian drones struck the Tavria thermal power plant and a building used by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Border Service in Armiansk. Social media and monitoring groups reported explosions and subsequent fires at both locations. The Tavria power plant had also been targeted in an earlier attack on 21 June, which reportedly caused damage to a fuel tank and the main building facade. Ukrainian authorities have not officially commented on the latest operations, which also resulted in reports of power outages in several areas, including Feodosiia, Sevastopol and Kerch.
The strikes are the latest in a systematic campaign by Ukraine to degrade Russian logistics and air defences on the peninsula. The Institute for the Study of War assessed that the operations are designed to disrupt the two main supply routes into Crimea: the so-called “land bridge” through occupied southern Ukraine and the Kerch Strait connection. On 21 June, Ukrainian drones successfully hit an oil terminal in the port of Kerch, a key facility for receiving, storing and transshipping petroleum products between rail, storage tanks and vessels. The attack also targeted the nearby Kavkaz Port on the Russian side of the strait, setting off fires at both locations.
Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert “Magyar” Brovdi confirmed that his units are systematically destroying Russian air defence systems and logistics nodes to prevent the Kremlin from using Crimea as a staging ground for offensive operations. Footage released by the Unmanned Systems Forces showed successful strikes on “Kasta-2E2” and “Nebo-U” radar stations, which are critical for air defence, as well as on three gas compressor stations across the peninsula. Other reported targets included railway bridges and fuel tankers.
The impact of the sustained campaign has been severe. Fuel sales to civilians and private businesses were suspended across Crimea on 21 June, with supplies reserved exclusively for state services and security forces. A military blogger described a critical situation, noting the shutdown of pumping stations and interruptions to water supply due to electricity shortages. The Russian occupation authorities also introduced emergency power cuts and rolling blackouts. In a rare public acknowledgment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that “measures are being taken” to address the fuel crisis in Crimea.
The assault has also caused civilian casualties. Russian-installed officials reported that a Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot in Kerch on the night of 20-21 June killed four people and injured 28. An earlier attack on a passenger train travelling from Moscow to occupied Simferopol killed the driver’s assistant and injured the driver, leading to a temporary halt in rail service. Following the attack on the Kerch ferry crossing, all traffic was halted and truck drivers were redirected to an alternative land route through Russian-occupied territory.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is leveraging seized Russian military equipment to aid allied nations. Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced the launch of “Trophy Lab,” a platform providing global partners with technical data, reports and vulnerabilities of captured Russian missiles, drones and vehicles, with the aim of shortening the development cycle for countermeasures.
Other international developments saw Hungary lift its ban on Ukrainian media to begin rebuilding bilateral relations. Australia also announced a new package of A$70 million (£37.1 million; $47.2 million) in arms funding for Ukraine’s “Pearl Initiative.” The reports followed a diplomatic spat with Poland, whose president stripped President Volodymyr Zelensky of a state honour over a historical dispute. In response, President Zelensky returned the award, and several Polish lawmakers returned their state honours in protest.
In a separate development, President Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a one-week ultimatum to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, demanding the removal of Russian drone guidance equipment from border towers. Russian forces have installed repeater towers along the Belarusian border to boost signals for their long-range drones after Starlink access was restricted in February. These repeaters have been used to improve the accuracy of drone strikes targeting Ukrainian civilians and cultural sites, including a thousand-year-old monastery. President Zelensky stated that if the equipment is not removed within a week, Ukrainian forces will destroy it themselves.
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