Diners sit at an outdoor restaurant in Sevastopol, Crimea, on July 22. Ukrainian drone strikes are causing power outages, fuel shortages and cuts in cellphone service in the peninsula. Russia seized Crimea when it first invaded Ukraine in 2014, but now its hold on the territory is being challenged. Igor Ivanko/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
toggle caption
Igor Ivanko/AFP via Getty Images
KYIV, Ukraine — The summer season in Crimea, a peninsula in the Black Sea, is usually filled with families enjoying beach holidays. However, this year, the situation is different as relentless Ukrainian drone strikes have heavily impacted life on the peninsula.
“Everything has come to a halt. There’s no gasoline, no fuel, no electricity. The shops and banks are all closed. Nothing is operational, and there’s no water either,” a Russian woman shared on social media.
These developments were unexpected.
In 2014, Crimea was the first territory Russian leader Vladimir Putin annexed when he invaded Ukraine. Since then, an estimated 1 million Russian troops and civilians have moved into Crimea, aiming to make it more Russian. This influx, along with the departure of many Ukrainians, has resulted in a population of around 2.5 million.
Ukraine has pledged to reclaim Crimea and has conducted periodic drone strikes over the years. Recently, these attacks have intensified significantly.
Russian military installations, particularly in northern Crimea, have been severely affected. Civilians are facing worsening shortages of essential services in a region that depends heavily on imports.
“Putin has a significant issue here,” remarked Mark Montgomery, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral who frequently visits Ukraine to assist in military training. He closely monitors the situation in Crimea.
“With limited water, no fuel, and restricted food supplies, it’s unsustainable to keep so many people there. They will have to leave,” he explained.
People walk along the waterfront in Yalta, Crimea, on July 21. An estimated 1 million Russian troops and civilians have come to the territory since Russia captured it from Crimea in 2014. But daily life has become increasingly difficult due to Ukrainian drone strikes. Igor Ivanko/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
toggle caption
Igor Ivanko/AFP via Getty Images
A coveted territory
Crimea extends into both the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, making it a strategic location with a desirable climate. Russian Empress Catherine the Great incorporated the region into the Russian Empire in 1783.
For Russia’s military, the peninsula serves as a crucial warm-water naval port. On the civilian side, it attracts tourists every summer with its beaches and scenic views of the sea and mountains.
Hanna Shelest, head of security programs at the Ukrainian Prism think tank, noted that Russians eagerly moved to Crimea a decade ago.
“Some of the Russian military relocated with their families, purchasing property and planning to stay,” she said.
They often occupied homes left by Ukrainians who had fled. Russian security forces continue to exert tight control over Ukrainians who remain.
“If you speak Ukrainian, use a Ukrainian keyboard, or play Ukrainian music, you are arrested,” Shelest, based in Odessa, stated.
Tourists sunbathe on a beach near a telescope of the Crimean Astrophysical Laboratory in Simeiz, Crimea. The Black Sea peninsula is normally packed with visitors in the summer. But Ukraine’s drone attacks, and the disruption of daily services, has kept many tourists away this year. Igor Ivanko/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
toggle caption
Igor Ivanko/AFP via Getty Images
Russian control challenged
Ukraine’s recent drone offensive has led to prolonged outages in electricity, cell phone service, and water supply. These attacks also target Russian ships and ferries responsible for bringing food, fuel, and other critical supplies from Russia.
According to Ukraine’s military, over 130 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov and more than 80 in the Black Sea have been struck in the past month.
“Russia misjudged its naval strength and didn’t anticipate our measures,” stated Dmytro Pletenchuk, Ukraine’s Navy spokesperson. “They’re now trying to adapt to our technology, but it takes them six months, while we keep advancing. They’re facing a logistical deadlock.”
Although Russia still controls the entire coastline of the Sea of Azov, it has essentially lost control of the waters to a nation without traditional naval ships or active sailors.
Mark Montgomery notes that the Ukrainian Navy has achieved remarkable success during the conflict.
“The Ukraine Navy is the world’s most successful navy without launching a ship for a single day,” Montgomery remarked.
During the initial 2014 invasion, Russia decimated most of Ukraine’s Navy. In 2022, Ukraine intentionally sank its last major ship to prevent its capture by Russia’s sizable Black Sea fleet.
Despite this, Ukraine retaliated by damaging or sinking more than two dozen Russian ships and submarines, mainly using missiles from the mainland.
Russia subsequently withdrew most of its warships to Russian ports on the eastern Black Sea.
Ukraine has since taken the offensive, being the first country to develop and deploy powerful sea drones that work both on and below the water’s surface.
“This marks the emergence of unmanned undersea and surface vessels,” Montgomery commented. “These drones are small and difficult to detect. Russia can control the entire coastline without being able to monitor what’s happening in the middle of the inland sea.”
Russia attacks international cargo ships
While Russian forces maintain control over Crimea, some Russian civilians appear to be leaving. Despite facing significant setbacks, Russia continues to strike back.
The Russian Navy has been targeting international cargo ships that transport Ukrainian corn, wheat, and sunflower oil from Odessa and surrounding ports.
One recent attack claimed the lives of ten sailors, causing most international vessels to avoid the area, according to Hanna Shelest.
“These ships aren’t even Ukrainian. Their only fault is visiting Ukraine,” she stated.
Relying heavily on agriculture, Ukraine is now at the height of its harvest season but has lost its primary export route. The country is considering exporting by land, though this is a far less efficient option, and Ukraine’s already struggling economy is expected to face further challenges.
Meanwhile, military analysts believe Ukraine’s forces are not currently equipped to launch an offensive to reclaim Crimea. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently informed Fox News that recapturing Crimea is not a current objective for Ukraine.
“The land is crucial. It represents our territory, our history, our homes. But the most important thing is to protect our people,” Zelenskyy expressed.
When Putin seized Crimea 12 years ago, he declared it an “inseparable part of Russia.” Today, he remains notably silent about the ongoing issues there.
