Crimea under attack again: Shahed launch site on fire and blackout reported
Photo: A fire also broke out at one of the Shahed launch sites in Crimea (Getty Images)
On the night of June 24, the temporarily occupied Crimea came under a massive attack. In addition to strikes on Sevastopol’s energy infrastructure, explosions and large-scale fires were reported at Russian military facilities in Bakhchysarai and Kerch, according to local Telegram channels and the Russian occupying authorities.
Strike on Balaklava Thermal Power Plant
The most destructive consequences were reported in Sevastopol, where the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant was attacked.
Due to the damage to the power infrastructure, the city was plunged into total darkness, and a large-scale blackout began there.
The city’s so-called governor, Mikhail Razvozhayev, confirmed the attack on energy facilities and stated that a special regime has been imposed in Sevastopol. According to him, emergency services are assessing the extent of the damage, and the city remains temporarily without power.
Crimea under attack: Shahed launch site on fire and blackout reported pic.twitter.com/xHRlr1ca5V
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) June 24, 2026
In addition, locals reported a fire near the village of Shafranne, located west of the Hvardiiske military airfield. This location is known as one of the sites Russian troops use to launch Shahed/Geran strike drones.
Photo: Fire in the village of Shafranne (t.me/Crimeanwind)
Fire at Russian Black Sea Fleet's warehouses in Bakhchysarai and explosions in Kerch
Around 4:20 a.m., reports emerged of a direct hit in Bakhchysarai. According to the Telegram channel Crimean Wind, the strike set fire to the warehouses of the 133rd Separate Logistics Brigade of the Russian Black Sea Fleet (military unit 73998). The fire was reported in the area of Chekhov and Simferopolska Streets.
This brigade is responsible for logistical support for the Russian troops, including the supply of food, fuel, and ammunition, as well as the repair of damaged equipment.
New explosions were also heard overnight at the other end of the peninsula—in Kerch. Residents heard a series of explosions at 2:08 a.m., 2:23 a.m., and again in the early morning at 3:34 a.m. and 3:36 a.m. According to satellite imagery, two large fires were detected south of Kerch on the grounds of a Russian military town.
Photo: a map showing the approximate attack site (t.me/Crimeanwind)
After 4 a.m., power fluctuations intensified in Simferopol—power outages began to last for significantly longer periods. In addition, a large-scale emergency power outage affected the central part of the peninsula: several villages in the Krasnohvardiiske district were left without power.
The Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in coordination with the Resistance Movement, destroyed the strategic railway bridge across the North Crimean Canal near the village of Rozdolne.
The operation took place in two phases: on the night of June 22, SOF drones brought down one of the bridge spans, and the following night, they struck the remaining structure and specialized railway equipment that the Russian troops had brought in to repair the tracks.
In addition, units of the Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including Magyar’s Birds, Nemesis, and other formations, carried out a large-scale operation, striking more than 60 key military targets in Crimea in a single night.
