Russian-installed authorities in occupied Crimea have introduced a state of emergency in both Sevastopol and the entire peninsula on Friday, June 26, following reports of fuel shortage amid intensified Ukrainian strikes on incoming logistics.
The announcement was made by the Moscow-installed governor of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, who said the state of emergency came into force at 1 p.m. on Friday and will remain in effect until the situation stabilizes.
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“Together with the governor of the city of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, a decision was made to sign decrees on the introduction of a regional state of emergency in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol,” Aksyonov said.
He said the measure was taken “to streamline economic issues.”
“The legal regime of the state of emergency allows us to solve the tasks of organizing the stable functioning of all spheres on which the life support of the population depends as quickly as possible,” Aksyonov added.
During the state of emergency, authorities are granted the power to restrict freedom of movement, halt enterprise operations and carry out forced evacuations.
Ukraine ramping up strikes on occupied Crimea
Earlier, Kyiv called ongoing strikes on the peninsula as part of its efforts to “isolate” Crimea from Russia and turn it into an “island.”
Ukrainian forces have used drones to establish de facto control over traffic on the federal highway R-280 “Novorossiya,” which connects Russia’s Rostov region with Crimea through occupied Ukrainian territories.
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The attacks led to a fuel shortage in occupied Crimea that intensified in mid-June, with gas stations reportedly stopping sales of gasoline and diesel.
On June 23, Ukraine reportedly destroyed a key railway bridge over the North Crimean Canal near Rozdolne.
The bridge, according to Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SSO), served as a “strategic military-logistical artery” that transports cargo, resources, and military equipment from Russia through Crimea to southern Ukraine.
Russian monitoring channels also reported blasts near the Kerch ferry crossing on Friday, with residents describing smoke and the smell of burning.
The Kerch area is a key military logistics hub, linking occupied Crimea with mainland Russia. The ferry crossing has become increasingly important for Russian logistics in southern Ukraine after repeated Ukrainian strikes on the Kerch Bridge.
Friday’s large-scale drone attack came just hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky announced he had approved a 40-day Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) operation aimed at increasing pressure on Russia and forcing Moscow toward ending the war.
According to a Kyiv Post analysis, Ukrainian forces have significantly increased strikes on the peninsula’s military, energy, and transport infrastructure, as well as strategic bridges. The attacks resulted in power outages, fuel rationing, transport restrictions, and heightened security measures.
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