Ukraine has intensified its efforts to isolate Crimea, announcing a series of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks on critical infrastructure across the peninsula. On 23/6, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense reported that its UAVs struck an oil depot at the Kerch thermal power plant in eastern Crimea, a substation in the western part of the peninsula, and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) distribution station in Simferopol, Crimea's second-largest city. These actions aim to turn the region into an "isolated island," according to Kyiv.

Ukraine's Special Operations Forces detailed coordinated UAV attacks targeting the railway bridge spanning the North Crimea Canal, a crucial logistics route for Russian forces in southern Ukraine. The operation on the night of 21/6 and early morning of 22/6 caused a section of the bridge to collapse. A second UAV attack on the morning of 23/6 then targeted railway repair equipment dispatched to the scene and the remaining structure.

These reports have not been independently verified, and Russia has not yet responded to the specific claims. However, some areas in Crimea experienced power outages on 23/6. The local power provider attributed these to "technical issues in the grid" and expected restoration within 24 hours.

Smoke-generating equipment on the Crimea bridge on 22/6 aims to protect the structure from surveillance or attack. Photo: *AFP*.

The attacks align with Ukraine's stated objective to isolate Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 in a move Ukraine and Western nations deem illegal. Ukraine's Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced last week that the country's forces are "isolating Crimea with UAVs." He added, "It appears that in the near future, Crimea will become an isolated island. This could lead to unforeseen consequences for Russia."

Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Moscow had received warnings that Ukraine seeks to disrupt Russia's energy supply and tourism, though he did not disclose the source. He stated that Ukrainian UAV attacks are "arriving with great intensity" to destabilize Russian society.

The Crimea peninsula. Graphic: *Telegraph*.

In response to the escalating situation, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated on 23/6 that the government is considering temporarily suspending diesel exports to ensure domestic supply, supplementing existing restrictions on jet fuel and gasoline exports. Additionally, the TASS news agency reported that scheduled maintenance plans at Russian oil refineries have been postponed.

Crimean officials have also implemented security measures, canceling all sports events, tournaments, and children's training activities until 1/9. The day before, Governor Sergei Aksyonov announced that all summer camps in the region would stop accepting children and halt new bookings until 1/9 for security reasons.

Huyen Le (According to AP)