Russia-annexed Crimea declares emergency as Ukrainian aerial attacks intensify, causing fuel shortages and power cuts.
MOSCOW: Authorities in Russian-annexed Crimea on Friday declared an “emergency situation” in a bid to ease the fallout from increasing Ukrainian aerial attacks on the peninsula.
The region is already grappling with fuel shortages and power cuts triggered by Ukrainian attacks on the infrastructure across southern Russia that supplies the peninsula.
“A decision has been made… to sign decrees declaring a regional-level emergency situation in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol,” the Moscow-installed governor Sergey Aksyonov said in a post on Telegram.
The emergency situation would allow for a “rapid resolution of tasks related to ensuring the stable operation of all sectors”, Aksyonov said in the post.
Kyiv says its air attacks are fair response to Russia’s near-daily barrages targeting Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure.
In a statement published Thursday, he acknowledged that Crimea was facing a “challenging time” and that the “fuel situation” was the most difficult.
“I cannot say exactly how long it will take, nor can I publicly disclose the specific action plan. However, we are taking action,” he said in the statement.
He also conceded that the Russian army were unable to fully protect the peninsula.
“Unfortunately… there are no air defence systems in the world that are absolutely perfect in terms of security and effectiveness,” he said.
Russia seized and annexed Crimea in 2014, though the vast majority of countries — including many of Moscow’s allies — do not recognise the move.
Ukraine says Crimea is an inalienable part of its territory and will never formally cede it.
Kyiv has targeted Russian energy infrastructure throughout the war, launched by Russia’s full-scale offensive in 2022, in retaliatory strikes designed to cut-off vital revenues for the Kremlin.
