A massive transport crisis has unfolded in occupied Crimea. Railway communication with mainland Russia, which previously ensured the flow of tourists and cargo, has been drastically reduced. Instead of the usual 18 daily trains running through the Crimean Bridge, only seven trains will now operate.
Decision by the Operational Headquarters
Information about the upcoming changes came from the head of the occupation administration of the peninsula, Sergey Aksyonov. According to him, the decision to reduce the number of trips was made by the so-called Operational Headquarters. The operator forced to reduce the number of "Tavria" trains is the company "Grand Service Express".
The movement logistics have also changed significantly. All remaining trains will now run only to the "Kerch-South" station and back. Other seasonal trips will be gradually cancelled over the next two weeks. The authorities do not officially comment on the reasons for such strict restrictions, however, the context of what is happening on the peninsula speaks for itself.
Logistics Under Attack
The reduction in railway communication is just one of the consequences of the continuing pressure on Crimea's infrastructure. In early June, Ukrainian military announced the establishment of air control using drones over part of the land route connecting Russia with the peninsula.
The situation is exacerbated by constant drone attacks. In response to the threats, unprecedented measures were introduced in Crimea: gas stations stopped selling fuel to civilians. Now fuel is issued exclusively to state services. Energy infrastructure is also suffering: on the night of June 25, after a strike on facilities in Sevastopol, the city was completely left without electricity.
Blockade Strategy
The Command of the Defense Forces of Ukraine openly declares its strategy. Commander of the National Guard Alexander Pivnenko emphasized that the priority is to block the enemy's logistics. "We will block the enemy's logistics so that it will be very difficult for them," he stated.
A similar position is held by the Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Robert "Madjar" Brovdi, who previously voiced his "recipe" for action regarding the occupied peninsula. The sharp reduction in the number of trains indicates that this strategy is beginning to yield tangible results, paralyzing the usual transport arteries of Crimea.