Against the backdrop of a growing infrastructure crisis on the peninsula, the public organization "Russian Red Cross" (RCC) has officially announced the launch of an expanded humanitarian support program. On July 10, 2026, it was announced that additional resources were allocated to the Crimean and Sevastopol regional branches. The goal of the initiative is to create operational reserves of food, drinking water, and hygiene supplies for the population affected by the energy supply deficit.

Logistics and aid volumes

A regional state of emergency was declared by the administrations of Crimea and Sevastopol at the end of June 2026. The situation worsened after July 6, when damage to high-voltage lines and substations led to power outages in a significant part of Simferopol and on the Southern Coast of Crimea. This caused the shutdown of water utility pumping stations and a fuel shortage at gas stations.

To respond to the crisis, the RCC approved the following nomenclature for the distribution of material resources:

  • Sevastopol: 600 comprehensive kits have been formed, including long-term food products and basic hygiene items. The purchase and installation of a stationary water purification unit is also planned.
  • Republic of Crimea: 800 food kits, 700 hygiene kits, and 43 tons of bottled drinking water have been allocated.
  • Technical aids: wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and canes have been additionally distributed.

The distribution of targeted kits in Sevastopol will begin on July 13, 2026. According to the regulations, priority is given to people with disabilities of groups I and II, displaced persons (registered in 2025–2026), and citizens in difficult life situations.

New support centers

On July 15, the opening of a specialized Center for Assisting the Population in Emergency Conditions is scheduled in Sevastopol. At this center, residents will be able to access autonomous power sources for mobile devices and communication means, which is critically important given the unstable energy supply.

Legal context and international norms

Activities in the region are taking place against a complex political and legal background. According to the position of the Ukrainian authorities and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Crimea has the status of a temporarily occupied territory, and strikes on energy facilities are viewed as part of a defensive strategy. International human rights institutions and Ukrainian ministries regularly point out that the operational activities of the RCC without coordination with the National Society of the Red Cross of Ukraine (NSRCU) may be considered a violation of the principle of territorial integrity of national societies.

At the same time, according to the Geneva Conventions on the protection of war victims, humanitarian activities to provide the civilian population with food, medicines, and drinking water in crisis zones must be carried out on the principles of neutrality and impartiality, regardless of the political status of the territories. RCC representatives in their statements emphasize that their mission is aimed exclusively at minimizing risks to the civilian population in the event of a large-scale infrastructure collapse.