The occupiers have declared a state of emergency in Crimea

Following a large-scale attack by Ukrainian drones on military facilities in Kerch, the occupying authorities of Crimea and Sevastopol declared a regional state of emergency. Officially, this was explained as necessary to promptly resolve economic issues, though no specific reasons for this decision were given.

Sergey Aksyonov, the so-called “head of Crimea” appointed by Russia, announced the introduction of the state of emergency. According to him, the relevant decisions were made jointly with the occupying administration of Crimea, and the decrees have already been signed.

At the same time, the occupying authorities did not specify any extraordinary events that officially served as the basis for this step. They merely stated that the state of emergency is necessary to promptly resolve economic issues and ensure the stable functioning of critically important sectors of public services.

Meanwhile, the SBU reported on a special operation as part of a 40-day campaign to exert pressure on Russia. Drones operated by the security service attacked the territory of the “Zatoka” shipyard in the temporarily occupied city of Kerch, where military support vessels were located.

The targets included Project 15310 cable-laying vessels “Volga” and “Vyatka,” which were being built for the Russian Ministry of Defense and were intended for the deployment of the “Harmony” hydroacoustic surveillance system. In addition, the cargo-passenger ferry “Petropavlovsk,” whose readiness was estimated at 96%, was struck. According to the SBU, large-scale fires broke out on all three vessels following the attack.

Ukrainian drones also struck components of the S-400 air defense missile system, which was covering the Kerch Strait area. Specifically, the system’s radar station and weaponry were damaged.

The SBU emphasized that the systematic destruction of Russian military infrastructure in occupied Crimea deprives the enemy of the ability to use the peninsula as a logistical and military hub. The destruction of air defense systems opens up opportunities for new high-precision strikes, while the disabling of ships and port infrastructure weakens the logistical support for Russian troop formations.

In addition, Russian authorities have imposed temporary restrictions on electricity supply. The Russian-controlled company “Krymenergo” stated that the power outages are necessary to prevent the power grid from becoming overloaded and to avoid large-scale accidents.

Анна Літман