A drone attack in Crimea has resulted in the deaths of four individuals and left 28 injured, according to Moscow-appointed governor Sergei Aksyonov. Reports indicate that numerous explosions and fires have erupted on the Russian-controlled peninsula as well as in the neighboring Krasnodar region.
The Krasnodar authorities reported that the Ukrainian drone assault claimed the life of one person aboard a ferry and ignited a fuel terminal.
In response, fuel stations across Crimea have ceased all sales to the public, including cash and credit transactions, effective Sunday at 9 AM local time. Aksyonov emphasized that fuel will be allocated solely to government agencies responsible for maintaining the peninsula’s operations and security.
In a video message shared on Telegram, Aksyonov urged calm among residents but did not clarify the reasons behind the drastic measures taken.
Wave of Strikes in Crimea
Throughout the night from Saturday to Sunday, multiple explosions and anti-air defense activities were reported in Crimea, particularly in Kerch, Bakhchisarai, Sevastopol, and Simferopol, along with the districts of Nyzhniohirskyi, Krasnohvardiiske, and Krasnoperekopsk.
As a result of air raid alerts, Russian authorities temporarily suspended traffic on the Kerch Bridge.
Online footage displayed large-scale fires that broke out overnight.
Fires at Gas and Fuel Facilities
Independent monitoring groups, utilizing satellite imagery, have identified several fires at fuel and logistics facilities in the region. In Kerch, active fire was noted at the Maritime Fishing Port, with thermal signatures primarily detected at the “AEGAZ-Terminal,” which specializes in liquefied gas handling and transfer.
Approximately 600 meters west of the gas facility, additional fires were recorded at a fuel terminal owned by the “TES” company, which is engaged in the storage and transfer of petroleum products, including diesel, across the Kerch Strait. This facility supplies fuel to vessels and supports the “Crimea-Caucasus” ferry service. Satellite monitoring indicated a plume of smoke stretching for kilometers from the port area.
On the Russian mainland, across the Kerch Strait, a fire was also reported at the Kavkaz Port in Chushka, which hosts a fuel terminal and an oil depot.
Military and Logistical Targets Hit
The drone attacks have also targeted military infrastructure and transport routes, as noted by the Kyiv Post. Satellite monitoring revealed thermal signatures near the Chonhar bridge, particularly at the junction of the railway bridge and the northern shore. This bridge had previously sustained damage from an attack on June 13.
In Kerch, a fire was reported at the territory of Russian military unit 98546, which houses the separate 630th railway battalion.
Additionally, satellite data indicated a fire at Cape Zyuk, near the village of Kurortne, along the Azov Sea coast of the Kerch Peninsula. Monitoring channels observed that this site hosts Russian air defense systems, including radar stations and S-300 or S-400 surface-to-air missile positions.
