Ukraine steps up drone campaign to isolate Crimea

Civilian fuel hit

Russian-installed authorities in occupied Crimea have suspended civilian gasoline sales after a new wave of Ukrainian drone strikes hit fuel and transport infrastructure around the peninsula and across the Kerch Strait, according to reports from AP, The Guardian and The Times.

The move marks a shift in the campaign around Crimea. The strikes are no longer being described only as attacks on military targets. They are now affecting civilian fuel access and transport links that help sustain everyday life on the peninsula and support Russian logistics into occupied territory.

AP reported that gasoline sales to civilians were halted and fuel was limited to government agencies after attacks on fuel infrastructure. Crimean governor Sergey Aksyonov said the restriction followed strikes that killed four people and wounded 28.

Kerch corridor under pressure

The Guardian reported that Ukraine struck a Kerch oil terminal in occupied Crimea and that NASA satellite data showed a blaze at the seaport. It also said separate attacks were reported on an electrical substation in Bilohorsk and in Yevpatoria and Sevastopol.

The Times said recent attacks also hit an oil depot in Kerch and a transport facility in Russia's Krasnodar region. It reported temporary disruption to the Kerch Bridge, while Russia limited hazardous freight on the crossing and tightened fuel access on the peninsula.

Crimea depends heavily on the Kerch Strait corridor for fuel, supplies and transport. That makes the bridge and nearby logistics routes strategically important for both civilian movement and Russian military support.

Growing civilian disruption

The fuel restrictions come after Crimea had already been limiting gasoline distribution in May, when long queues and panic buying were reported. AP also said authorities set up hotlines for stranded tourists as shortages worsened.

The latest strikes have therefore added a new layer of pressure. They have affected not only infrastructure that serves Russian forces, but also the civilian systems that keep fuel moving and people traveling around occupied Crimea.

What is known and what is not

The reporting differs on the scale of the damage. Some accounts emphasize a temporary Kerch Bridge closure, while others describe freight limits and fuel restrictions rather than a full shutdown.

It is also not yet clear how extensive the physical damage was at the Kerch oil terminal and the Krasnodar transport facility, or how long the fuel restrictions in Crimea will remain in force. Russian-installed officials have not provided a full, independent accounting of the casualties and infrastructure losses.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian energy and transport infrastructure to disrupt military logistics and revenue. The Times quoted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as describing the strikes as retaliation for Russia's attacks on Ukraine.

Further attacks on fuel, radar or transport targets in Crimea and nearby Russian territory could deepen the disruption. For now, the immediate impact is visible in civilian fuel supply, ferry and bridge traffic, and the reliability of the Kerch Strait corridor.