Crimea Under Emergency
Crimea Declares Regional Emergency Following Ukrainian Strikes Causing Power and Fuel Shortages
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Key Points
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The state of emergency took effect at 13:00 local time on June 26 across Crimea and Sevastopol, announced by Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev and Crimean head Sergei Aksyonov.
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Officials said the emergency would speed up compensation for damage and allow force majeure clauses for businesses; residents could claim compensation for household appliances damaged by outages.
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Power and water disruptions persisted, with rotation of electricity supply in Crimea for a week and water pressure dropping in Sevastopol; restoration depends on stabilizing the energy grid, and Sevastopol has faced outages.
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Transport and tourism were hit hard: kerb queues on the Kerch Bridge exceeded 2,000 vehicles with waits around five hours, sea passenger movement in Sevastopol Bay was suspended, and international-style tourism bookings in Crimea fell sharply (e.g., around 30% to 43% in Sevastopol per Kommersant).
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Ukraine launched a large drone campaign targeting Crimea, with authorities saying about 660 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight, bringing the total to over 700, highlighting the risk of Crimea becoming isolated from the Russian mainland.
Russian-installed authorities in Crimea declared a regional state of emergency on June 26 after weeks of Ukrainian strikes knocked out power plants, fuel depots, and key transport links. The declaration took effect at 13:00 local time, signed by Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev and Crimean head Sergei Aksyonov, covering the entire peninsula.
The crisis has disrupted daily life for residents: rolling blackouts, water pressure failures, fuel rationed to 20 liters per vehicle, and summer camps for children suspended. Tourism bookings have collapsed, and over 2,000 vehicles were stuck in a five-hour queue at the Kerch Bridge as people tried to leave.
Ukraine's Drone Barrage Overwhelms Crimea's Power Grid
On the night of June 25–26, Ukraine launched its largest single drone attack of the war. Russian air defenses intercepted about 660 drones, CBS News reported, bringing the recent total to over 700. The Kerch Bridge was shut for six hours during the barrage. Strikes hit the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant in Sevastopol and the Tavriya Thermal Power Plant near Simferopol, leaving parts of the peninsula completely without electricity, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
The attacks are part of what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called a "40-day operation of pressure" by Ukrainian intelligence. Zelenskyy said on Crimean Tatar Flag Day that "Russia first brought its war to Ukraine in Crimea — and it is Crimea that lies at the heart of our policy to ensure justice," according to the Kyiv Independent. Military analysts describe the campaign as "systematic degradation" of Crimea's power grid, not random harassment.
Fuel Rationing and Traffic Chaos Grip the Peninsula
Fuel shortages have become severe across Crimea. Gas stations in many districts have run out of AI-95 and AI-92 grade fuel for ordinary buyers. Where fuel is available, sales are capped at 20 liters per vehicle, Novaya Gazeta Europe reported. Authorities have restricted full access to state services only. The R-280 "Novorossiya" highway — the main land route from Russia into Crimea — came under regular Ukrainian drone attacks in early June, cutting off a key supply line.
At the Kerch Bridge, the backup route into Crimea, satellite images showed a 10-to-15-kilometer traffic jam of roughly 2,000 to 2,500 vehicles, Radio Liberty reported. Wait times reached five hours. Ferry services for heavy trucks have been suspended indefinitely since a June 21 strike on the Kerch crossing and nearby oil depots, according to the Ukrainian News Agency.
Emergency Declaration Aims to Shield Businesses and Residents
Razvozhayev said the emergency "will remain in effect until the situation stabilizes" and is needed so businesses "can classify certain obligations as force majeure," according to Ukrinform. That legal clause lets companies cancel contracts without penalty when conditions are beyond their control. Residents can also claim compensation for household appliances damaged by power surges caused by the outages.
Aksyonov said the emergency framework allows "the most rapid resolution of tasks" to keep basic services running, the Ukrainian News Agency reported. Under the same rules, authorities have gained the power to restrict civilian movement and order forced evacuations if needed. Children have already been pulled from summer camps, including the historic Artek camp, echoing evacuation patterns seen during the 2022–2023 mobilization panic.
Tourism Season Effectively Over as Bookings Collapse
The 2026 summer season in Crimea is in ruins. Hotel booking cancellations have hit 88% year-on-year in some sectors, Kommersant reported. Sevastopol bookings fell 40%, and overall Crimean hotel occupancy sits at around 30% against a planned 70%. The Russian Union of Travel Industry now considers the tourist season "effectively derailed." Crimea has dropped out of Russia's top 10 domestic travel destinations, accounting for just 1.5% of sales.
Political scientist Jenny Mathers of Aberystwyth University called the emergency declaration "the most significant demonstration yet" of Ukraine's drone strategy, saying it undermines Putin's effort to shield Russian citizens from the war's realities, according to the Kyiv Independent. The Moscow Times noted that the force majeure provisions are meant to stop a wave of business bankruptcies in Crimea's hospitality sector before it begins.
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