Units of the Unmanned Systems Forces «Ptakh SBS» reported the successful destruction of 10 power facilities on 28–29 July: six in Crimea and four in the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson and Luhansk regions. The targets included 330, 220 and 110 kV substations in Kerch, Feodosia, Yevpatoria and Kairka.
Briefly about the main points
- The Security Service of Ukraine reported that 10 power substations had been hit on 28–29 July.
- The six targets mentioned are located in Crimea.
- Three 110 kV substations have been damaged in Kerch.
- Three substations near Kairka have been identified in the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson region.
- The SBS operation’s tally for July stands at 164 energy targets.
Substations in Kerch, Feodosia and the Kherson region
In Crimea, according to data «Ptakhiv SBS» struck the 220 kV «Feodosiyiska» substation in Feodosia, the 220 kV «Marianivka» substation in Marianivka, as well as three 110 kV facilities in Kerch — «Sklo», «Kerchenska» and «Albatros». Another target in Crimea was the 110 kV «Moynaki» substation in Yevpatoria.
In the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region, the 330 kV «Aquilon» substation, the 220 kV «Kairka» substation in Kairka and the 330 kV «Pershokostyantynivka» substation have been successfully targeted. In the Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk regions, the list includes an electrical substation.
The operation involved the 9th «Kairos» Battalion of the 414th Separate SBS Brigade «Ptaki Madyara», the 1st Separate SBS Centre and the 20th Separate SBS Brigade «K-2».
A series of incidents affected various parts of the power grid
In total, during the operation from 1 to 29 July, «SBS Birds» reported 164 energy targets. A video released by the unit contains footage of strikes on 28 energy facilities between 25 and 29 July.
The goals for the last two days are posted in Kerch, Feodosia, Marianivka and Yevpatoria, as well as in the occupied territories of the Kherson and Luhansk regions. This geographical spread may make it more difficult for the occupying forces to allocate emergency repair resources and ensure grid redundancy. At the same time, the successful destruction of a substation does not in itself determine the duration of its downtime or the scale of the power cuts.
In July, power cuts had already been reported on the peninsula; specifically, on 15 July, in Kerch and other areas in the east and north-west of Crimea. The occupying power supplier stated at the time that restrictions would be imposed depending on the situation on the grid.
Power supply to the occupying forces’ infrastructure
In its review of damage in Crimea for June, the Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea noted that the electricity supply powers communications equipment, radar systems, surveillance systems, repair and production facilities, command centres and logistics hubs within the occupying forces’ infrastructure. This suggests that sustained pressure on the power grid could affect not only the operation of individual facilities, but also the supply to these systems.
