Ukraine drones knock out power in Russia-held Crimea’s biggest city

Ukrainian drones caused power outages in Sevastopol, the largest city in Russian-occupied Crimea, on Wednesday. The drones also targeted facilities in central and southern Russia, demonstrating Ukraine's expanding reach in attacks on energy infrastructure. This incident is part of Ukraine's intensified strikes this year on Russian oil refineries, depots, and supply routes, which have contributed to rising petrol prices and fuel shortages in Russia, particularly on the Crimean peninsula.

Ukrainian strikes on energy facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea have caused widespread power outages in Sevastopol, the peninsula's largest city. The Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, reported the power cuts and urged residents to conserve phone batteries and assist vulnerable neighbors, noting that some areas would be without electricity until at least Wednesday evening. Trolleybuses were also suspended. These attacks are part of Ukraine's intensified efforts to target Russian logistics in Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Additionally, Russian-held parts of the Kherson region experienced partial or full power disruptions. Separate Ukrainian drone attacks also resulted in casualties in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod and Belgorod regions.

Ukrainian drone attacks on Wednesday targeted military sites in Crimea, including Sevastopol's main power substation, causing electricity outages in some areas of the city. The Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol warned that power restoration might not occur until the evening and urged residents to conserve electricity and check on elderly neighbors due to expected high temperatures. Emergency services are on full alert as damage is assessed. Explosions were also reported in Bakhchisarai, Kerch, and near Mount Ai-Petri, a location of a Russian Aerospace Forces radio engineering battalion. These attacks occur amidst fuel shortages in Sevastopol, attributed to Ukrainian efforts to isolate the peninsula.