Ukraine’s drone campaign against the fuel lifelines of Crimea escalated sharply over the weekend. And, in a qualitatively new development, Ukraine has reached with cruise missiles some 300 km inside Russia itself.
Overnight June 20-21, Ukrainian drones struck the ferry crossing and oil terminals on both sides of the Kerch Strait, the route Russia has relied on to fuel Crimea since the Crimean Bridge was closed to hazardous cargo. The TES-Terminal-1 oil depot in Kerch, less than a kilometer from the bridge, and the tank farm at Port Kavkaz on the eastern side were set ablaze; the Maritime Executive reported five of seven tanks burning at the Kerch terminal. A Rosmorport rail-ferry, the Elena II, was hit, taking ferry service out of commission. The Institute for the Study of War, citing geolocated footage, claimed at least three ferries set ablaze and air defenses guarding the bridge disabled—claims not independently confirmed. Krasnodar officials said one person was killed on a ferry.
The effect was immediate. A day later, on June 21, Sergey Aksyonov, the head of Crimea, suspended all retail fuel sales: “Fuel will be sold only to government agencies that ensure the functioning and security of the Republic of Crimea,” he wrote, urging residents to “remain calm and to only trust official sources.” The ban on civilian purchases came after weeks of worsening shortage. Since late May, the AP reported, sales had been rationed to 20 liters per vehicle per week via prepaid coupons, with hours-long lines and speculators reselling at double price. It is the worst energy crisis in Crimea since it became part of Russia in 2014.
