Part of Sevastopol on the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula was left without electricity tonight after a large-scale attack by Ukrainian forces on the city's energy infrastructure, BTA reported, citing Russian Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev, quoted by TASS.
„As a result of a large-scale attack by the enemy on our energy infrastructure, part of the city was left without electricity. A special regime has been introduced at the sites, experts are assessing the extent of the damage. All emergency services are on full alert“, Razvozhaev wrote on the Max platform.
Due to the threat of drone attacks, the Russian authorities repeatedly closed and opened a number of airports during the night, including Volgograd and Sochi, BTA also reported.
Are Russian units blocked in Crimea?
According to Ukrainian data, the fuel shortage is seriously limiting the actions of Russian mobile anti-aircraft units on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia and in the occupied parts of the Ukrainian Kherson region, reports the German electronic publication t-online. The information was provided by the Ukrainian guerrilla group ATESH and cannot be independently verified.
The Ukrainian guerrillas refer to their informants in the Russian military units, according to whom strict fuel restrictions have been imposed there for the mobile fire groups and anti-aircraft units that are supposed to repel the Ukrainian drones. Fuel was now allocated only for immediate combat operations. All other vehicles remained in place.
An ATESH informant reported that crews were forced to abandon their vehicles if they ran out of fuel along the way. This left the vehicles partially unprotected in the terrain and could easily be spotted by Ukrainian drone operators, t-online also reported.
From a fortress for Russia to a personal headache for Putin
Crimea was supposed to be Russian President Vladimir Putin's crowning achievement - a fortress in the war against Ukraine, a launching pad for demonstrating Russian military power in the Black Sea and an internal symbol of his imperial ambitions. All of that is now under threat as Ukraine has seized control of airspace over the routes to the Russian-occupied peninsula, is attacking supply logistics and is seeking to isolate and weaken Russian forces in the south, writes "Politico".
In the 12 years since Russia annexed the peninsula, Moscow has created the impression that it is untouchable thanks to massive militarization and economic integration. But what was once a strategic asset for President Vladimir Putin is now becoming a serious vulnerability - both militarily and for the leader himself, the publication comments.