Holiday season in occupied Crimea hits Kremlin's ratings

The 2026 holiday season in the annexed Crimea risks negatively affecting the position of the Russian "ruling party" before the fall elections to the State Duma. The Russian information space presents the peninsula as a safe tourist destination, but the real situation, according to local residents, is significantly different.

This was reported by Krym. Realities.

The Russian authorities are actively promoting Crimean resorts, in particular through delegations' visits and agreements on organized vacations for state employees and employees of large enterprises. At the same time, according to residents of the peninsula, strikes on military and army-related facilities are systematically hushed up, creating a false sense of security.

In a private conversation, one of the Crimean local historians noted that the situation is particularly tense in the coastal cities, including Sevastopol, Feodosia, Kerch, and Saki. According to him, information about incidents is partially published only on social media. He also cited the case of Novofedorivka, where a girl was killed during a drone attack before she could hide in the entrance. After that, residents of high-rise buildings began to turn off intercoms en masse.

One of the local ethnographers commented that tourists from Russian regions arriving on vacation face a reality that is in stark contrast to the official picture. In his opinion, a significant number of vacationers may return home dissatisfied, which could affect public sentiment in regions that traditionally support the Kremlin.

Russian bloggers also report on the difficult situation. In particular, blogger Alexander Sergeev said that an oil depot in Feodosia has repeatedly burned down, causing significant economic losses and serious environmental consequences. He questioned the feasibility of the facility's continued existence and called on the authorities to dismantle it and clean up the area.

In addition to security risks, tourists face high prices, limited access to mobile internet, and the prevalence of cash payments even in tourist locations. This also increases general dissatisfaction.

Experts point out that the increasing frequency of strikes by the Armed For ces of Ukraine on targets on the Black Sea coast, which is under Russian control, affects Russians' trust in the government. Sociological data indicate an increase in anxiety in society and a decrease in the level of approval of President Putin. In particular, the share of those who support his activities has decreased in recent months, while the level of disapproval has increased.

Against the backdrop of these trends, the holiday season in Crimea may become an additional factor in destabilizing public sentiment in Russia on the eve of the elections.

Last year, an increasing number of Russians who moved to the occupied Crimea after 2014 sold their property and returned home. They were disappointed not only by the climate, but also by the military atmosphere, high prices, problems with work and conflicts with residents.

Анна Бальчінос