State of emergency in Crimea

The declaration of the state of emergency in Crimea was announced by Sergey Aksyonov, the Moscow-appointed governor. “The state of emergency regime allows for the most efficient resolution of issues related to ensuring stable functioning in all areas vital to meeting the needs of the population,” Aksyonov stated in a video address.

Recently, Ukrainian forces have been intensifying strikes across Crimea, cutting off the peninsula’s supplies and electricity. On Friday, June 26, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported strikes on two Russian naval vessels and air defense assets in Kerch, located in the eastern part of the occupied Crimean Peninsula. Over the past two weeks, bridges connecting Crimea to Russian-occupied oblasts in southern Ukraine have come under attack. Successful strikes were also carried out on fuel and energy infrastructure near the Kerch Strait Bridge.

The state of emergency was declared for an indefinite period and covers the entire peninsula, including Sevastopol, which serves as a separate administrative entity. Crimea has been occupied by Russia since 2014, when it was seized by unmarked Russian soldiers. Following the seizure of key facilities on the peninsula, a referendum on the status of Crimea was held, leading to the announcement of its annexation into the Russian Federation. Ukraine and the vast majority of countries and international organisations have condemned the referendum as illegal and continue to regard Crimea as Ukrainian territory under Russian occupation.