On the night of June 20, explosions and gunfire from mobile air defense units were reported in occupied Crimea, with indications that the Tavriyskaya Thermal Power Plant may have been targeted. Local Telegram channels, including “Crimean Wind,” noted that residents in Simferopol and surrounding areas heard blasts starting around midnight.
Reports emerged of explosions in various locations, including the Bakhchisaray district, Krasnoperekopsk, and Armyansk. Air raid alerts were also issued in Sevastopol, according to Mikhail Razvozhayev, the city’s head appointed by Russia.
According to the “Crimean Wind” channel, a fire broke out at a gas storage facility operated by the “TESS” company northwest of Bakhchisaray, as well as at a gas distribution station near the village of Zhuravlivka, north of Gvardeyskoye. Fires were also observed near the Henichesk Bridge on the Arabat Spit and at the railway entrance to the “Crimea” plant. This information has been corroborated by satellite images from NASA’s FIRMS, which tracks fire incidents.
Additionally, fires were reported at a gas distribution station near the village of Lokhivka in the Soviet district of Crimea, and in the vicinity of the Tavriyskaya Thermal Power Plant near Strogonivka in the Simferopol district.
Russian media outlets, citing the “Krymenergo” company, reported that parts of the Simferopol district experienced power outages. Villages such as Gvardeyskoye, Komsomolskoye, and Hresivskyi were left without electricity due to damage to electrical networks.
As of now, Ukrainian military officials have not commented on this attack. Since 2022, Crimea has been subjected to near-daily drone and missile strikes. In many instances, the Russian Ministry of Defense or local authorities do not confirm hits on military targets, even when such information can be verified.
Recent explosions in occupied Crimea have raised concerns about ongoing military actions in the region. Reports indicate that key infrastructure, including the Tavriyskaya Thermal Power Plant, may have been targeted, leading to power outages in several areas.