Ukraine ‘cuts off’ Crimea from Russia, plunging it into an energy crisis

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that Crimea’s fuel and power shortages worsened in the week after Ukraine began an operation aimed at disrupting Russian supply routes to the occupied peninsula. The operation, called “Molochka,” started on July 6, according to Ukraine’s commander of unmanned forces, Robert “Madyar” Brovdi. He said Ukrainian strikes had hit 147 Russian “shadow fleet” tankers in the Sea of Azov and Black Sea by July 16, limiting oil movements through the Kerch Strait and reducing deliveries to Crimea.

Russian-installed Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov acknowledged emergency conditions, saying authorities could not promise regular petrol sales or clear fuel distribution timetables. Al Jazeera also reported Ukrainian strikes on ferries, oil storage and trans-shipment sites, as well as attacks on electricity infrastructure including the Saky thermal power plant, multiple substations and the Kuban-Crimea power transfer point. Occupation authorities have responded by cutting street lighting, distributing generators and pressurised gas canisters, and offering emergency business relief.

The Crimea campaign is presented as part of a wider Ukrainian effort to use drones and missiles against Russian fuel, logistics and export infrastructure. Al Jazeera cites Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskii as saying Ukraine carried out 7,028 successful mid-range strikes in 2026, with activity rising sharply in May and June. Ukraine has also reported long-range attacks on refineries and oil depots in Krasnodar, Rostov, Samara and Bashkortostan.

Russian officials have condemned the attacks, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov calling them terrorism. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak acknowledged refinery disruptions from incursions, while the Kremlin said the economy remained generally stable. The developments matter because Crimea is a key Russian military and logistics hub, and sustained pressure on fuel and electricity supplies could complicate Moscow’s operations in southern Ukraine.