Ukrainian Drones Black Out Crimea's Major Cities by Knocking Out 1 Key Substation
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Jun 24
Ukrainian Drones Black Out Crimea's Major Cities by Knocking Out 1 Key Substation
3 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Jun 24
Summary
Crimea’s largest cities lost power on Wednesday after Ukrainian drones put a key electricity substation near Sevastopol out of service overnight, according to Ukraine’s drone-force commander Robert Brovdi.
The strike is part of Kyiv’s intensifying campaign against Russian-held Crimea and the land corridor to it, aimed at disrupting military logistics and forcing Moscow to divert air defences and other resources from the front.
Ukraine said its SBU drones also targeted Russian anti-air systems in Crimea, while the General Staff claimed separate overnight hits on a gas-processing plant in Orenburg and 2 satellite communications centres near Moscow.
More than 60 targets were hit in the previous day in occupied Ukrainian regions, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Force said, underscoring a recent acceleration in attacks enabled by expanded domestic drone production.
Putin said this week Ukraine was trying to damage civilian infrastructure and the tourist season, but Russia has struggled to blunt the strikes on the peninsula it annexed in 2014.
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How Ukraine’s June 24, 2026 Drone Offensive Plunged Crimea Into Crisis and Raised the Cost for Russia
Overview
On June 24, 2026, Ukraine launched coordinated drone attacks on Russian-occupied Crimea, targeting key energy sites like the Sevastopol power plant substation, Kerch thermal power plant fuel storage, and the Western Crimea substation. These strikes caused immediate disruption, leading to widespread power outages across the peninsula, especially in Sevastopol. The simultaneous targeting of multiple locations showed a strategic effort to cripple the region’s energy grid and operational capabilities. Local officials tried to reassure residents, but the attacks highlighted Ukraine’s growing drone capabilities and marked a significant escalation in efforts to undermine Russian control.