Power Outages Hit Sevastopol as Russia Declares ‘Special Regime’ After Reported Ukrainian Attack

Russian-installed authorities in occupied Sevastopol imposed a “special regime” at energy infrastructure facilities on Tuesday, July 14, following what they described as a large-scale Ukrainian attack that left parts of the city without electricity.

The Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, said the attack targeted the city’s energy infrastructure, causing power outages across several areas.

Razvozhaev announced that a “special regime” had been introduced at energy facilities but did not explain what the measure entails.

He urged residents to conserve battery power on their mobile phones, use electronic devices only when necessary for emergency communication, and minimize electricity consumption to avoid overloading the power grid.

Ukrainian monitoring channel Crimean Wind suggested the outages may have been caused by a strike on the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant (TPP).

According to the channel, several indicators point to the facility being hit:

• A jet-powered drone or missile was reportedly seen heading toward the power plant.
• An explosion was heard at around 4:10 a.m., followed by a large white plume.
• Witnesses reported a bright flash immediately before electricity was cut.
• The strike may have damaged equipment responsible for steam generation or distribution.
• The white cloud rising above the plant was likely steam.
• Bus routes 91 and 103, which normally pass the power plant, were temporarily diverted.

Neither the Russian authorities nor Ukraine has independently confirmed that the Balaklava power plant was struck.

Occupied Crimea continues to experience widespread power outages following recent Ukrainian strikes on the peninsula, according to Crimean Wind.

The channel reported Friday, July 10, that only eastern Crimea has largely avoided major blackouts. Citing local residents and power company updates, it said northern parts of the peninsula are experiencing rolling outages lasting several hours, with disruptions expected to continue for two weeks to a month. Full restoration could take several months.

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The latest official update from Russian-controlled energy operator Krymenergo was published on June 25. Since then, Russian-installed officials, including Razvozhaev, have acknowledged ongoing power outages across occupied Crimea.

Crimean Wind linked the disruptions to an overnight strike on the 110/35/10 kV Moinaki substation in Yevpatoriya. According to local residents, drones flew over the nearby village of Uyutne without being intercepted before an explosion was heard and power was lost in the city.

That strike followed another attack on the Saky Thermal  Power Plant a day earlier, as well as previous strikes on substations across the Saky district.

Ukraine has intensified its campaign against Russian military and energy infrastructure in occupied Crimea and mainland Russia in recent months. One of the largest attacks came on July 3, when more than 400 drones reportedly targeted the peninsula, causing a widespread blackout.

The Saky district is also home to a major Russian airbase that has repeatedly come under Ukrainian attack. Recent strikes reportedly damaged seven aircraft hangars during the July 3 attack and five more earlier that same week.

The attacks on Crimea’s energy infrastructure come as the peninsula faces fuel shortages caused by Ukraine’s ongoing campaign against Russian logistics. Russian-installed governor Sergey Aksyonov acknowledged this week that the shortages are likely to persist “for some time.”