Ukraine drone strikes sever Crimea's fuel supply, forcing rationing and power cuts

The overnight strikes

Ukrainian forces carried out a large-scale coordinated drone and missile attack on logistics infrastructure on both sides of the Kerch Strait during the night of 20–21 June. The newly formed Unmanned Systems Forces, led by Robert "Maďar" Brovdi, claimed responsibility. Targets included the oil terminal in Kerch, diesel logistics at the port of Kavkaz on the Russian side, three key gas compressor stations, and modern radar systems Kasta and Nebo-U, which serve as the eyes of Russian air defence. Satellite imagery showed a massive column of black smoke from the burning Kerch oil terminal, stretching for tens of kilometres and engulfing the Crimean Bridge, where authorities halted traffic.

Last night, our long-range sanctions targeted the occupiers' military logistics and oil industry.

Fuel ban and rationing

In response to the damage, the Russian-appointed head of occupied Crimea, Sergej Aksjonov, announced an immediate ban on all civilian fuel sales. From 09:00 on 21 June, petrol stations stopped dispensing petrol and diesel to individuals and businesses, including against previously issued vouchers. Fuel is now reserved exclusively for government bodies ensuring the functioning and security of the peninsula. In Sevastopol, governor Michail Razvožajev cancelled even earlier fuel coupons, banned public events, shortened shop opening hours, and switched off street lighting. Power outages hit the city and other parts of Crimea after electricity networks were damaged; the utility KrymEnergo reported partial disconnections on the southern coast and in the north-western and central energy districts.

I ask everyone to remain calm, trust only official sources of information.

Transport disruption

Ferry services across the Kerch Strait were suspended indefinitely, and truck drivers heading to Crimea were diverted to a hazardous land corridor through occupied southern Ukraine. The Crimean Bridge was temporarily closed, delaying eleven trains from Moscow and other Russian cities by up to 8.5 hours; traffic was later restored. The strike also heavily damaged a staging area for dozens of supply trucks awaiting ferry transport.

Broader isolation campaign

The attack is part of a wider Ukrainian medium-range campaign aimed at totally isolating Crimea from mainland Russia. Ukrainian forces are systematically destroying logistics nodes such as road bridges linking Crimea to the Kherson region, railway yards, and naval capacities. By targeting Russian vessels and port terminals, Kyiv is effectively strangling military supplies before ammunition and fuel can reach the front lines. The fuel crisis is also being felt inside Russia, with independent outlet Meduza reporting growing shortages and sharp price increases, noting that only a ceasefire could halt the disruption, something Moscow continues to reject.

Casualties

Aksjonov reported that the drone attack on the Kerch peninsula killed four civilians and injured 28. Russian state agency TASS separately reported that a ferry was hit in the Kerch Strait, leaving one dead and two injured. The figures could not be independently verified.