“Crimea has become a classic frontline territory”: how war is changing life on the Crimean Peninsula

In Crimea, annexed by the Russian Federation, the impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is increasingly being felt in civilian areas. The Russian authorities in Crimea are tightening control and restrictions. The first tangible problems on the Crimean Peninsula have also appeared in the Russian military, experts emphasize. What is happening in Crimea while Russia is at war with Ukraine is reported in the material Crime.Realii.
During the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, Crimea has, in fact, become a frontline region. Local Russian authorities previously announced a “high-alert regime” in the region. This primarily concerns the mobilization of specialized services. But as Russia continues hostilities against Ukraine, other civilian areas in Crimea are also experiencing new changes.

From recruitment into the Russian army to the threat of terrorist attacks

Civil sectors of Crimea are intensively preparing for terrorist threats. In addition to regular exercises in Crimea by paramilitary formations that restrict traffic and communication in the regions, anti-terrorist work is being carried out with religious organizations.
In early March, the Russian administration in Yalta discussed with representatives of religious organizations algorithms for anti-terrorist protection of religious buildings and other religious sites. What is the need for this and what threatens religious organizations, is not specified.
Officials are involving staff and believers in the development of emergency scenarios, as well as in ideological work against extremism and terrorism.
“Representatives of confessions have expressed their readiness to participate more actively in the dialogue with the population, primarily with young people. Joint efforts are aimed at forming a firm rejection of the ideology of terrorism in society, explaining its criminal nature, as well as the inevitability of liability provided for by law for participation in extremist and terrorist activities,” the Ministry said.
In February, representatives of the clergy and “national-cultural autonomies” were involved in the recruitment of Crimeans for service in the Russian army. In particular, the Russian authorities in Feodosia discussed this possibility with them and distributed information brochures about the possibility of entering into a contract for military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Will officials be sent to shoot down drones?

Crimean civil servants may be involved in military missions. Problems with Russian air defense units have arisen in the region, according to the public pages of pro-Ukrainian partisan movements operating in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.
“Due to the accumulated losses in the air defense units of Crimea, an inspection commission has been sent from Moscow to Sevastopol. According to ATES agents, the issue of changing the command of the 31st Air Defense Division is being considered. Significant losses of air defense assets have recently led to a noticeable weakening of the defense of the Kherson region and Crimea. Moscow, apparently, recognizes this,” ATES says.
The Russian authorities have not publicly announced such a check. It is impossible to verify this information in the conditions of hostilities between the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
The pro-Ukrainian movement “Vidsich” also reports on problems with air defense in Crimea. The Russian authorities in Crimea are preparing to form mobile firefighting teams from officials and employees of budget enterprises, claims Vidsich, citing his sources.
According to them, the heads of Russian administrations and organizations under their control have been “issued orders,” and in fact lists of people who should be included in such “response teams” have been formed.
“The reason for this feverish “self-organization” is simple: Russian air defense in Crimea shows low efficiency against Ukrainian drones, and over the past month a significant part of air defense assets has been hit or destroyed by drone attacks (of the Defense Forces of Ukraine – KR),” the report says.
There have been no public reports about this in Crimea. Earlier, the region formed the paramilitary unit “BARS-Krim” to protect the Crimean peninsula from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They include many local officials and deputies.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces have intensified attacks on Russian air defense facilities on the Crimean peninsula. In recent months, they claim to have destroyed Russian anti-aircraft missile systems, "Pantsir" and radars in various regions of Crimea. The Russian authorities do not report on this. They confirm regular attacks by drones of the Ukrainian armed forces over the territory of Crimea, but assure that all of them have been shot down and suppressed.

“Logistics via the ‘land corridor’ in northern Crimea is significantly hampered”

These strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces significantly hamper Russian logistics via the ‘land corridor’ connecting Crimea with Russia via the occupied regions of Ukraine, says Ukrainian military analyst and former advisor to the Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Kopytko.
He recalled the recent strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces on Russian air defense facilities in Sevastopol, Dzhankoy, as well as on the Russian-occupied territories of the Kherson region closest to Crimea.
“What is most impressive: the settlement of Azovske (15 kilometers southeast of Dzhankoy) - Ukrainian drones destroyed three tankers supplying the local oil depot (the infrastructure of the Crimean Fuel and Energy Company, whose facilities have already been hit in the Simferopol industrial zone). This is another warning: logistics via the ‘land corridor’ and in general in northern Crimea is already significantly complicated. Private carriers will think twice, and it will be even more difficult for the military. Given the growing difficulties in the Mariupol area (occupied by Russian troops - KR), the supply of the southern group of occupiers is experiencing serious pressure,” says Oleksiy Kopytko.
The attacks of the Ukrainian defense forces on military facilities in Crimea will not stop in the near future, the head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov is sure.
“I had the opportunity to talk to one of the commanders, whose units almost every night attack the military facilities of the Russian forces in the occupied Crimea. A short conclusion: the Russian forces will not feel safe for a single day - until they are expelled from the peninsula - the territory of Crimea that they occupy. Without exaggeration, Crimea has become a classic territory on the front line,” Chubarov emphasized.
Refat Chubarov once again called on the residents of Crimea to stay away from the military facilities of the Russian Federation.