Ukrainian authorities have claimed their forces struck several strategic targets in Russian-controlled Crimea, including a railway bridge, a power facility and energy infrastructure, as Kyiv intensifies efforts to isolate the peninsula and disrupt Russian military logistics.
According to Ukraine's Defence Ministry, drone strikes targeted an oil storage depot at the Kerch thermal power plant, an electrical substation in western Crimea and a liquefied natural gas distribution station in Simferopol. Ukraine's Special Operations Forces claimed responsibility for damaging a railway bridge over the North Crimean Canal near Rozdolne, describing it as a vital supply route for Russian troops in southern Ukraine.
The military said an initial drone attack partially collapsed the bridge, while a follow-up strike targeted repair equipment and remaining sections. Russian authorities did not immediately comment on the claims, which could not be independently verified.
Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, has faced increasing Ukrainian drone attacks in recent months. Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov recently said Kyiv was effectively "isolating Crimea with drones," while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government has intensified long-range strikes against military and energy infrastructure deep inside Russian-held territory.
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Parts of Crimea experienced power outages on Tuesday, though local energy officials attributed them to technical faults and said electricity would be restored within a day. Russian-appointed authorities have also introduced additional security measures, including suspending children's sporting events and halting new registrations at summer camps until September.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of attempting to disrupt energy supplies and damage Russia's tourism industry through large-scale drone attacks. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow was considering further fuel export restrictions and had delayed refinery maintenance to safeguard domestic supplies.
Along the front lines in eastern Ukraine, fighting remains largely a war of attrition. Kyiv says drones have become a critical element of its strategy, with the Defence Ministry claiming Ukrainian forces have struck more than 800,000 enemy targets with drones this year and that 95 per cent of the drones used are domestically produced.
Ukraine has also stepped up diplomatic messaging. At a UN Security Council meeting, Ambassador Andrii Melnyk said Kyiv remained open to direct negotiations with Russia for a "just and lasting peace" but insisted any settlement must be based on the UN Charter. He urged Russia to withdraw from occupied Ukrainian territory and said recent Ukrainian strikes had shifted the dynamics of the conflict.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow remained committed to ensuring the security of Belarus, after Ukraine accused Minsk of allowing relay equipment on its territory to support Russian drone operations against Ukrainian targets.
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