Trolleys and buses stop operating en masse in occupied Sevastopol, reports say
City trolleybuses are coming to a halt in occupied Sevastopol, Crimea (photo: Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Public transport has partially stopped in the occupied city of Sevastopol due to widespread power outages and an acute fuel shortage, according to Krym.Realii.
Fuel shortage, price spike
Based on reports, local occupation transport union head Viktor Rykov said carriers are being supplied with only about a quarter of the fuel they need.
Companies are operating on limited reserves. The situation is further worsened by the fact that fuel prices fixed in contracts were around 76 rubles per liter, while the real market price has surged to 145 rubles.
Because of the crisis, intercity transport volumes in the region have already dropped by 80%. Private carriers are also forced to queue for fuel alongside taxis and private vehicles.
Transport operations
According to the local transport department, on June 27, buses and trolleybuses are operating on a weekend schedule where possible.
However, due to the fuel crisis, several routes have been completely suspended.
Trolleybuses are also running only intermittently due to ongoing power outages, and intervals on the remaining routes have significantly increased.
Situation in occupied Crimea
The situation in occupied Crimea has recently worsened significantly. Refat Chubarov, head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, stated that continued isolation of Crimea and the deprivation of fuel and electricity for the occupation authorities could force the Kremlin either to withdraw troops or enter negotiations. He also noted rising tension among the pro-Russian population on the peninsula.
On June 26, the occupation authorities introduced a regional state of emergency in both Sevastopol and the entire Crimea. Russian illegitimate Crimean head Sergey Aksyonov said that this decision was made to address economic issues.
At the same time, successful Ukrainian strikes have triggered an outflow of Russian tourists, military personnel, and occupation officials from the peninsula. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) note that continued Ukrainian strike campaigns could have long-term demographic consequences for Crimea.
