Russia-controlled Crimea declares emergency after one of Ukraine's biggest drone attacks

Authorities in Russian-controlled Crimea Friday declared a regional emergency as Ukrainian drone attacks on the peninsula intensified, prompting widespread disruption and power outages.Pro-Moscow governor Sergey Aksyonov said the move was intended to help authorities respond more effectively to the fallout from the sustained aerial assaults, a day after he reported electricity outages across Crimea."A decision has been made... to sign decrees declaring a regional-level emergency situation in the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol," Aksyonov wrote on Telegram.The declaration followed what appeared to be one of Ukraine's largest drone attacks on Russian territory and Moscow-administered Crimea since the start of Moscow's full-scale invasion more than four years ago.According to Russia's defence ministry, air defences intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones overnight across 12 Russian regions, the Crimean peninsula, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The previous largest reported attack over the past year involved 556 drones on May 17.The emergency declaration comes as Ukraine has increasingly relied on long-range drone strikes to hit targets far behind the front lines, including oil facilities, military logistics hubs and energy infrastructure inside Russia.

Western officials and analysts say the campaign has disrupted Russian fuel supplies and military logistics while piling pressure on President Vladimir Putin.Russian authorities released little information about the impact of the latest attacks. The defence ministry did not specify the intended targets or disclose the extent of the damage.Ukraine's Security Service claimed responsibility for strikes on Russian naval vessels and air defence radar systems in Kerch, a strategically important port in Crimea.The agency said the targets included the reconnaissance and mine-laying ships Volga and Vyatka, along with the cargo-passenger ferry Petropavlovsk, claiming the strikes sparked a major fire. The claim could not be independently verified.The large-scale assault came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X that he had ordered "a 40-day influence operation", widely seen as an escalation of long-range attacks intended to "compel (Russia) to end the war" after months of US-led peace efforts failed to achieve a breakthrough.Recent successful drone strikes, including attacks on targets in Moscow and St Petersburg, have boosted morale in Ukraine.Zelenskyy also said he had secured fresh commitments of military assistance during the recent G7 summit, including support from US President Donald Trump, adding that the additional aid would strengthen Ukraine's efforts to pressure Putin into negotiations.