Moscow declares a state of emergency in Crimea as Ukrainian air attacks intensify

Moscow-installed authorities in Crimea have declared a regional state of emergency as the peninsula faces the consequences of an increasingly frequent wave of air attacks from Ukraine.

The announcement was made by Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed governor, who said the decision was taken to ensure a faster response and keep key sectors functioning normally.

According to Aksyonov, Crimea is going through a difficult period marked by fuel shortages and power outages. He stressed that these problems were caused by Ukrainian attacks on infrastructure in southern Russia, from where the peninsula is supplied.

“I cannot say exactly how long this situation will last, nor can I make the action plan public, but we are taking measures,” Aksyonov said.

He also acknowledged that Russian air defense systems cannot provide complete protection. Meanwhile, Ukraine has presented the strikes on targets in Crimea and on Russian energy infrastructure as retaliation for the ongoing Russian bombardment of civilians and Ukraine’s energy grid.

Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014, but that act is not recognized by the overwhelming majority of countries around the world. Kyiv continues to describe the peninsula as an inseparable part of Ukrainian territory and has stated that it will never give up sovereignty over it.