Payphones reappear in occupied Crimea amid infrastructure concerns

Payphones are making a comeback in occupied Crimea, with 24 fixed-line devices installed across several cities including Dzhankoy, Yevpatoria, Kerch, Armiansk, and Krasnoperekopsk. The initiative, spearheaded by the Russian communication operator "Miranda," aims to provide residents with a reliable means to contact emergency services like the police, ambulance, gas emergency, or rescuers, particularly during power outages and mobile network failures.

These payphones are designed to function even without electricity or mobile service, allowing calls to emergency numbers 101 (firefighters), 102 (police), 103 (ambulance), 104 (gas emergency), and the general emergency number 112. Dzhankoy and Krasnoperekopsk each received five phones, Armiansk and Yevpatoria six, and Kerch two. The "Yellow Ribbon" resistance movement in Crimea views this development as a stark indicator of the declining civil infrastructure on the peninsula under Russian occupation.

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Due to power supply disruptions in the peninsula's cities, stationary phones have been installed for contacting emergency services. Important: all 24 devices work even with a complete loss of electricity and mobile communication.

This reintroduction of payphones occurs against a backdrop of significant infrastructure challenges in Crimea. Reports indicate widespread power and water supply disruptions, fuel shortages impacting the delivery of essential goods, and a general disillusionment among residents with both the Russian-appointed local authorities and the Kremlin's promises of protection. The situation has been exacerbated by Ukrainian strikes, leading to mass cancellations of bookings by Russian tourists and further straining resources.

Furthermore, communication disruptions are becoming more frequent, with some areas experiencing mobile and internet service only for a few hours a day. Analysts suggest that the Russian occupation authorities are intentionally limiting connectivity to hinder the transmission of information about military movements and to tighten control over the information space, restricting access to news unfavorable to the Kremlin. The re-emergence of payphones, while presented as an emergency measure, underscores these broader issues of infrastructure instability and information control in occupied Crimea.

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This is further proof that the civil infrastructure of the occupied peninsula is deteriorating.