Ukrainian Drone Strikes Trigger Fuel Crisis in Crimea.

Tourists walk along an embankment in Sevastopol, Crimea. Tanker trucks have been attacked and left ablaze along the land corridor from Russia to Crimea. People gather on the beach in Balaklava Bay, part of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula.

Kyiv’s forces have targeted fuel supplies to the Crimean Peninsula with drone strikes on refineries, depots and pipelines. The persistent attacks reflect the growing intensity and efficiency of Ukraine’s drone strikes and have caught Russia off guard and struggling for a response. In a rare public acknowledgment, the Kremlin has recognized the scope of the problem and promised to address the issue quickly.

Motorists are waiting in long lines at gas stations. As the country marks the Russia Day national holiday on Friday, signaling the start of summer vacations, the gas shortages are threatening to cause further disruptions to the tourism-dependent region with its beaches and resorts.

Ukraine’s successes have highlighted its ability to inflict painful damage on Russia and change the course of the conflict, while Moscow’s advances have recently ground to a near halt. On Thursday, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reached its 1,569th day, surpassing the duration of World War I.

Crimea has been a jewel in Russia’s imperial crown since it was seized from Turkic-speaking Tatars in the 18th century after Moscow defeated the Ottoman Empire.