Drone Attacks Spark Fires at Power Plant and Fuel Infrastructure in Occupied Crimea

Early Saturday morning, June 20, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeted multiple locations across the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula.

According to satellite imagery and reports from the local monitoring channel “Crimean Wind,” the strikes resulted in fires at several key energy and logistical facilities.

Impact on energy and fuel facilities

Satellite data indicates two distinct fire locations at the Tavriyska Thermal Power Plant, situated near Strohonivka in the Simferopol district. The facility, which has a capacity of 470 megawatts, was put into operation in 2019.

Fires were also recorded at oil and gas storage facilities located northwest of Bakhchysarai. These storage sites belong to “TES,” which operates one of the largest networks of gas stations on the peninsula. Furthermore, fires broke out at two gas distribution stations near the villages of Zhuravlivka and Lokhivka, following reported explosions in those areas.

Logistical and industrial targets

The strikes also affected transport and industrial infrastructure. Satellites detected a fire in the vicinity of the Henichesk bridge on the Arabat Spit. Reports indicate this is an area where occupation authorities had previously constructed a pontoon crossing following earlier strikes on permanent bridges.

Another fire was recorded at the railway entrance to the Crimean Titan plant in Armiansk. Local residents reported hearing explosions and gunfire in Armiansk around midnight on June 20.

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Throughout the night, explosions and the activation of Russian air defense systems were also reported by residents in Simferopol, Perevalne, Sevastopol, and the Krasnoperekopsk district.

As of Saturday morning, Russian occupation authorities in Crimea had not publicly commented on the drone attacks or the resulting damage to infrastructure.

The incidents in Crimea occurred amid a wider report of drone activity. On Friday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin stated that Russian air defenses intercepted 25 drones approaching the Russian capital.

Within Crimea, occupation authorities recently implemented new security measures, including a ban on the movement of motorcycles and other motorized two-wheel transport during evening and nighttime hours, which took effect on June 17.

Ukrainian officials, including Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, have previously stated that ongoing drone operations are designed to increasingly isolate the occupied peninsula.