In a nighttime raid, Ukrainian drones struck and destroyed the main power substation in Sevastopol, the largest city in the Russian‑occupied Crimean peninsula. The strike plunged the city into a blackout, with the regional governor warning that power could be restored only by Wednesday evening.
Local officials urged residents to conserve energy—lowering screen brightness, turning off background apps, and limiting mobile phone use—while also checking on elderly neighbours as temperatures rise to 30°C. The governor called the attack a “vile adversary act” aimed at sowing panic and disrupting everyday life.
This outage coincides with a fuel‑sale ban announced by Russian‑installed leader Sergei Aksyonov; cars queue at gas stations, and supplies in tanks appear scarce. Residents have begun panic buying of essentials such as sugar, and emergency services remain on high alert.
Ukraine’s broader strategy targets Russian supply routes, with drone strikes impacting bridges and logistics hubs that connect Crimea to mainland Russia. Moscow’s defence ministry reported the destruction of over 300 Ukrainian drones, while Kyiv’s air force noted that most of the 101 Russian drones launched overnight were intercepted and destroyed.
The power strike and fuel restrictions highlight the escalating pressure on Crimea’s habitation infrastructure and underline the ongoing war’s relentless toll on civilians in occupied territories.
