Russian Telegram channels, with reference to residents of the Russian-occupied Crimea, report large-scale power outages on the territory of the peninsula.
What is known about a massive power outage in Crimea
It is noted that the electricity supply is currently suspended in the vast majority of large cities on the peninsula's territory.
In particular, residents report that Sevastopol, Feodosia, Saky, Dzhankoi and Kerch were left without electricity.
According to preliminary information, the reason for the disappearance of electricity is an emergency shutdown in the networks of the Crimean power system.
According to residents, at 6:05 p.m., the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant (TPP) gas equipment allegedly malfunctioned, causing two power units to shut down.
Due to the lack of energy supply, a traffic collapse occurred on the streets of cities due to malfunctioning traffic lights.
Disconnected consumers: Balaklava, Kozacha Bay, Ocheretyana Bay, Fiolent [cape], central part of the [Sevastopol] city, Lenina str., Bolshaya Morskaya str. All operational teams are working on site. The power supply will be restored within an hour, said the head of the Sevastopol's occupation administration Mikhail Razvozhaev.
The "administration" of the city of Saky said that most of the city remained without electricity due to an accident on a line outside the city.
Also, all pumping companies, "Water of Crimea", have stopped.
So-called "Head" of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, wrote that part of the peninsula was without power due to an emergency equipment shutdown at the Balaklava TPP.
Western analysts predict a battle for Crimea this year
According to the former president of the Jamestown Foundation, Glen Howard, in an article for The Hill, the Black Sea and Crimea will become key battlegrounds between Ukraine and the Russian Federation this year.
The analyst notes that the Ukrainian military must isolate the peninsula occupied by Russia and force the military criminals of the Russian army in Crimea to finally degrade militarily.
Howard notes that Ukraine achieved lightning success in the battle for the Black Sea against the Russian Federation last year.
In particular, the Ukrainian military seriously reduced the combat capability of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation using naval drones and British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, forcing Russian warships to leave the bay in Sevastopol.
Recently, the Ukrainian military also successfully destroyed another ship of the Black Sea Fleet, "Novocherkassk", which became evidence of another loss of the Russian army, which lost 20% of its fleet in 4 months.
Ukraine effectively ended Odesa's sea blockade and resumed exporting grain and other raw materials from its strategic Black Sea port.
The next step in the Black Sea for the West is to help Kyiv target Crimea — illegally annexed by Russia in 2014 — and cut off Russia's logistical route for its forces operating in southern Ukraine, Howard said.
According to Ben Hodges, the former commander of the US Army in Europe, Crimea is a "decisive territory of the war".
Philip Breedlove, the former Supreme Commander of NATO forces in Europe, repeated this thesis.
Western analysts and former soldiers agree that to isolate the peninsula, the Ukrainian military needs to destroy the Kerch Bridge, illegally built by Russia.
Its destruction would significantly limit Moscow's ability to replenish its forces in southern Ukraine and significantly weaken Russian troops.
In particular, this would allow the Ukrainian military in the Zaporizhzhia region to break through enemy defence lines and reach the borders with Crimea.
The Ukrainian front lines in Robotyn are currently only 70 miles from the Azov coast.
Zelenskyy understands that the Taurus would be the perfect weapon to destroy the bridge, which is already weakened by previous attacks. The Taurus bunker-busting cruise missile could be launched from the air by Ukrainian Su-24s — they already successfully use the Storm Shadow [missiles] to great effect. And, if equipped with a secondary charge, it could cause devastating damage to any reinforced concrete structure, making the bridge unusable, — Howard notes.
