Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces have conducted 14 successful strikes on energy facilities in Russian-occupied Crimea over the past three days. Robert Brovdi, Ukraine’s drone forces commander, reported this on July 27. The attacks are part of Ukraine’s strategic effort to isolate occupied territories. The strikes have caused widespread power outages across the peninsula. Brovdi highlighted that Ukraine has continued to target energy infrastructure. It has also targeted critical supply lines like bridges, maritime routes, and military installations. These supply lines support Russian operations in Crimea.
The Russian-installed energy company in Crimea, Krymenergo, acknowledged power restrictions on July 27. It admitted to a "difficult" situation in several key regions. These regions include the northwest, east, and south of the peninsula. In a statement published on its website, Krymenergo noted electricity outages. These outages have been unpredictable, occurring "on short notice." The outages depend on the conditions in each power grid area. It also said it is currently impossible to supply electricity to certain settlements. This is due to the damage inflicted by the strikes.
According to Brovdi, who operates under the call sign 'Madyar,' Ukraine has destroyed a total of 154 energy facilities. These are across all Russian-occupied territories since the start of the war. Of these, 18 were targeted in the last three days. The targets included substations in major cities like Simferopol and Feodosia in Crimea. They also included substations in the occupied parts of Kherson, Luhansk, and Donetsk oblasts. The Kyiv Independent was unable to independently verify these claims. This is often the case with battlefield reports.
Fuel supply hit as gas stations vanish
The last operational gas station on the highway between Kharkiv and Poltava was destroyed in a Russian strike on July 26. Regional officials confirmed this. All gas stations along the E40 highway have now been obliterated. The E40 is a critical transportation and logistics route. It connects Kyiv to the front lines in eastern Ukraine. Kharkiv Oblast Council member Oleksandr Skoryk reported this. Skoryk said about 80 of the 200 gas stations destroyed by Russian forces across the country are located in his region.
Despite the extensive destruction, Ukraine has so far avoided a major nationwide fuel crisis due to its modern and diversified energy market. However, Russia has deliberately targeted refineries, worsening fuel shortages in occupied territories and certain parts of Ukraine. These strikes have caused localized disruptions, though the country has not yet faced a large-scale energy breakdown.
Civilian toll rises with fresh attacks
Russian attacks across Ukraine in the past 24 hours killed at least nine civilians and left 76 others injured. Among the most shocking incidents was a daytime strike on a supermarket in the northern city of Chernihiv, which killed two people, including a 10-year-old girl. Twenty-five others were wounded in that single attack, prompting Governor Viacheslav Chaus to declare July 27 a day of mourning.
In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian forces attacked 45 settlements, leaving two people dead and 13 injured. A 40-year-old woman was among the casualties in Kharkiv Oblast, where 22 additional people were injured, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. In Mykolaiv, a separate attack on port infrastructure killed two men in their 40s and 50s and damaged three civilian ships. Regional authorities confirmed the incident late at night.
As Ukraine continues its campaign to disrupt Russian operations in occupied territories, attacks on energy and transportation infrastructure remain central to its strategy. Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll continues to mount, with civilians bearing the brunt of the escalating violence across the country.
In a rare public address from Sevastopol, Russian-installed Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev acknowledged that electricity in the city has been 'temporarily restricted' as a 'necessary measure' to manage the power grid. He said public services have been forced to switch to backup power supplies to prevent a wider system failure. 'It is required to alleviate the overload on power grids outside our region in order to prevent a failure of the entire power system,' Razvozhaev added in a Telegram post, highlighting the growing instability in the region.
Ukraine’s campaign of long-range strikes has also extended beyond Crimea, targeting Russia directly. Ukrainian drones recently struck an oil export terminal and other infrastructure in a deep strike operation, further complicating Russia’s ability to move critical supplies and fuel. These strikes reflect Ukraine’s increased ability to carry out complex operations deep into enemy territory, using both drones and long-range weapons to disrupt Russian logistics and supply chains.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have expanded their efforts to target not just ground infrastructure but also maritime logistics in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. Their operations have included attacks on airfields, Russia’s shadow fleet, and military-industrial facilities, all critical to sustaining Russia’s war effort. The strikes on energy and supply routes are a key part of Ukraine’s broader strategy to deny Russia the ability to maintain its occupation of the south and Crimea.