Since the beginning of this year, Kiev has launched the most extensive and sustained aerial campaign against Crimea, targeting both the peninsula and the land and sea routes that connect it to Russia. Residents are facing the most severe disruptions of daily life since the annexation of the region in 2014. They cannot hide their dissatisfaction with Moscow, as the Ukrainian campaign to isolate the area leaves its mark on everyday life, notes The Guardian.
Crimea was the first region controlled by Russia to face an acute fuel crisis, a problem that subsequently spread to Russia itself. Last month, the authorities installed by the Kremlin declared a state of emergency and temporarily banned the sale of fuel to private drivers, thus trying to conserve reserves for the military and emergency services.
Energy crisis in Crimea
However, as Ukrainian drones increasingly targeted the peninsula’s energy infrastructure, the crisis quickly surpassed the fuel issue. Over 70% of Crimea’s approximately 2.5 million inhabitants faced power supply disruptions, and many of them have already spent several consecutive days without electricity or running water.
Discussions with several residents from various areas of Crimea have revealed an increasingly pronounced feeling of abandonment and frustration, both towards the authorities installed by Russia and towards Moscow, in the context where Kiev aims to transform the peninsula into an “island”.
The festivals, summer camps, and beach events that usually animated the summer season in Crimea have been cancelled. In their place, long queues for petrol and the daily search for a place to take a shower or charge their phone have emerged. “We’re surviving, not living,” said a resident.
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