State of Emergency Declared in Crimea as Fuel, Food Shortages Worsen After Ukrainian Strikes

After Ukrainian attacks on Russian-occupied Crimea, daily life on the peninsula has changed dramatically. Shops are closing, and more and more people are leaving.

7/1/2026 | 2:35 PM

Yevpatoria, Crimea, June 26: an empty beach after local authorities declared a state of emergency. Photo: Alexey Pavlishak / Reuters

By Tigran Petrosyan

Die taz panterstiftung presents under taz.de/unserfenster every Wednesday a weekly selection of current reports from Russian critical media. With this project, the taz panterstiftung strengthens independent journalism and enables critical editorial teams to continue their work even under difficult conditions.

"Istories" opens a window to Russia with the following article. Read the full text here in Russian.

State of Emergency Declared

A state of emergency has been declared on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula. Sergey Aksyonov, the Russian-appointed governor, justified this step with the need to "sort out financial issues." He did not specify what exactly he meant by that.

At the same time, there is a shortage of fuel in many places, power outages occur, and the water supply is repeatedly interrupted. Residents of Crimea describe to "Istories" how their daily lives have changed in recent weeks – and how they have lost their jobs due to the Crimea crisis.

Fuel Shortage and Black Market

"Almost no one has supplies anymore," says one resident. "Everyone is saving; even at double the price, hardly anyone wants to sell gasoline right now because no one knows when the gas stations will be restocked."

The general population currently cannot buy fuel at all. Anyone who wants to buy gasoline has to rely on the black market. But even there, the supply is gradually running out.

Previously, there were people who obtained gasoline through government agencies or acquaintances and resold it, another Crimean resident told "Istories." "The fuel was actually intended for state purposes, but part of it was diverted and sold. Military personnel also did this." But now even that has stopped. "We used to have a seller who offered gasoline privately. Since the beginning of the crisis, he has had nothing either."

Public Transport Affected

The fuel shortage also affects public transport. The authorities have restricted it and reduced the number of bus routes. Due to the power outages, trolleybus service has been suspended.

Power Outages and Water Supply Disruptions

Last week, the Ukrainian army intensified its attacks on Crimea's energy infrastructure. As a result, large parts of the peninsula experienced power outages. Two residents of Sevastopol report that entire neighborhoods have to manage practically without electricity. Additionally, the water supply is repeatedly interrupted because the pumping stations also need electricity.

Shops Closing, Cash-Only Payments

"Most shops, especially the smaller, private ones, are closed," says one resident. In the shops that are open, payment can usually only be made in cash; card payment is only possible in large supermarket chains.

"Most ATMs are not working. The few that are powered by emergency generators are empty. That's why many people are trying to withdraw cash, because card payments are often not possible due to lack of electricity or internet," the resident continues.

Food Rationing and Panic Buying

At the beginning of June, many shops began to restrict the sale of basic food items such as sugar, rice, buckwheat, and other grain products. Only a few kilograms of these items may be purchased per person.

"People panicked and started stockpiling supplies," two residents of Sevastopol told "Istories." "We were in a large supermarket; there were still pallets of rice, buckwheat, and pasta, from which we bought some. When we came back the next day, the shelves were empty; apparently, people had bought everything out of fear."