Ukraine targets Crimea, causing power outages and disrupting life in Sevastopol

Sevastopol, the largest city in Russian-controlled Crimea, is experiencing persistent power outages following a series of intensified Ukrainian strikes targeting the peninsula. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Kremlin-installed governor, announced restrictions across the city and urged residents to conserve electricity.

Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, claimed Kyiv had struck Sevastopol's main power substation seven times in the early hours of Wednesday. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, a move widely condemned internationally, after the Maidan protests led to the ousting of Ukraine's pro-Kremlin president, Viktor Yanukovych. Sevastopol, a key port city, historically served as the headquarters for Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared his intention to regain control of Crimea upon his election in 2019, a sentiment that has grown louder since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In recent weeks, Ukraine has escalated its military operations in Crimea, aligning with Kyiv's broader strategy to increase pressure on the Kremlin. This campaign has disrupted daily life for the peninsula's residents.

Life in Crimea has become increasingly precarious, marked by frequent drone strikes and a ban on gas sales to ordinary citizens. Summer camps for children have also been suspended. A Sevastopol resident described more frequent daily air raid alerts and noted that drone intercepts are now often occurring above the city, rather than over the Black Sea as previously observed. "The city has become 'more dangerous,'" she stated.

Further compounding the disruption, the Russian-installed regional government announced Sunday that fuel would be exclusively available to government agencies, excluding ordinary people and businesses. While public transport continues to operate, the resident reported a scarcity of fuel at gas stations, with prices significantly higher for those who managed to purchase it before the ban.

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The city has become “more dangerous,” she said.