On the night of August 21, a series of powerful explosions rocked over occupied Crimea, leaving parts of the peninsula without electricity. This was reported by RBK-Ukraine, citing the monitoring Telegram channel "Crimean Wind" and messages from local so-called "authorities." According to channel subscribers, the epicenter of the night attack was the Simferopol area, where more than 15 explosions were recorded in rapid succession.
Course of the Night Attack: Flashes Near Tavricheskaya TPP
Witnesses reported bright flashes in the area of the Tavricheskaya Thermal Power Plant. According to local residents, jet drones were seen flying over Simferopol towards the power plant. Explosions and anti-aircraft fire continued in various parts of the peninsula until almost dawn, indicating the prolonged and massive nature of the night incident.
Consequences for the Peninsula's Power Grid
Following the massive strikes on Crimea's energy infrastructure, a number of settlements on the peninsula were left without power, according to "CrimeaEnergoInform." The scale of the outages, according to online reports, reached a total blackout in certain areas; however, official data on the exact list of cities without power and the timelines for restoring electricity were not provided at the time of publication.
Context: Series of Strikes on Crimea in August
The night attack on August 21 was a continuation of a series of strikes on the peninsula this month. Recall that on the night of August 16, the Ukrainian Naval Forces attacked the launch positions of the "Bastion" coastal missile complex in the Rezervny area — from this complex, Russia launches "Onyx" and "Zircon" missiles at Ukrainian territory. On August 20, Crimea experienced a similar blackout: following night explosions in Sevastopol, Sevastopol, Simferopol, and Dzhankoy were left without power, with the partisan movement "Atesh" taking responsibility for that strike.
Contradictory Data
There are discrepancies between sources regarding the scale of the outages. RBK-Ukraine and "CrimeaEnergoInform" state that a "number of settlements" and "part of the cities" were left without power, while the network (citing Focus) uses the formulation of a "total blackout" and "no power anywhere." Furthermore, unlike the August 20 incident, where the "Atesh" movement officially took responsibility, no side has claimed involvement in the August 21 attack at the time of publication, and the so-called "Crimean authorities" have not yet commented on the situation. Thus, the only confirmed facts are the series of explosions and power outages, while the exact scale of the blackout and the authorship of the strike remain unconfirmed officially.
Reactions and Positions of the Parties
At the time of publication, the so-called "Crimean authorities" have not issued official comments regarding the night explosions and power outages. The Ukrainian side, in turn, has not made a public statement regarding involvement in the August 21 strike. The situation remains dynamic, and additional information regarding the consequences of the attack and its nature may emerge as official clarifications are issued.
