22 September 2026
Weekly update on the situation in occupied Crimea on September 22, 2026
Main News of the Week
▶ In temporarily occupied Crimea, the Defence Forces of Ukraine carried out another successful strike on the Saky military airfield near Novofedorivka. As a result of the operation, a ground control station used for russian Orion reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicles was destroyed.
▶ Volodymyr Ananiev faces up to 22 years in prison and a fine of 650,000 rubles on charges of allegedly attempting to assassinate the so-called Head of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov. According to the occupation authorities’ investigation, he allegedly acted on instructions from the Security Service of Ukraine together with Serhii Bodnar and Oksana Shevchenko, who have already been sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
▶ The industrial production index in temporarily occupied Sevastopol fell to 86.8% compared with the same period in 2025. The main factors behind the decline were electricity shortages, power supply restrictions, and logistical difficulties with the delivery of raw materials. The sharpest decrease was recorded in the food industry, which is also affecting the availability and prices of locally produced goods.
▶ Temporary electricity supply restrictions remain in place across the temporarily occupied peninsula due to a shortage of generating capacity and a high load on the power grid. The water supply situation also remains difficult.
▶ From September 18 to 20, the occupying forces held illegal “elections” to the Russian State Duma in Crimea and Sevastopol, with falsified voter turnout figures of 46.99% and 61.03%, respectively. This sham vote was accompanied by strict restrictions, including a ban on photography at polling stations.
▶ In September 2026, the occupation administration of Sevastopol announced the so-called nationalization of the assets, which belong to six companies and five Ukrainian citizens. The forced seizure of production facilities, warehouses, and residential properties was justified by allegations of support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and watching pro-Ukrainian content.
Crimes Committed by the Russian Federation
▶ As of 22 September 2026, 316 people in occupied Crimea are being subjected to politically motivated judicial persecution, including 169 Crimean Tatars and 1 Karaite.
▶ A 33-year-old resident of Simeiz is to stand trial for alleged cooperation with Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence. According to the occupation authorities’ investigation, he allegedly photographed one of the Russian Federation’s military vessels and transmitted the information to an officer of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine via a messaging application.
▶ In Sudak, Russian security forces detained a Ukrainian citizen born in 1961 on suspicion of allegedly “calling for violence against Russians”. According to the occupation authorities’ investigation, she created an account on a messaging platform and published materials containing such calls. A criminal case has been opened against her, and she faces up to five years in prison.
▶ Russian security forces detained a resident of Sevastopol who, according to the occupation authorities’ investigation, allegedly established contact with an officer of the Security Service of Ukraine and, acting on their instructions, organised the smuggling of weapons and military equipment into Ukraine through third countries. A criminal case has been initiated against the man under provisions of articles on so-called high treason.
The use of occupied Crimea as a springboard for attacks on Ukraine and the militarization of the peninsula
Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion and spread its armed aggression throughout Ukraine, occupied Crimea has been used by Russia as a military base for spreading aggression in various forms. From the peninsula, the occupiers continue to launch attacks on the territory of Ukraine, including on civilian infrastructure.
▶ The Ukrainian Air Force reported that during the past week, the occupiers carried out another series of massive combined attacks on Ukrainian territory. In particular, they launched over 1025 strike UAVs of the Shahed, Gerbera, and Italmas types, as well as Parody decoy drones, from various directions, including from the territory of occupied Crimea and the Black Sea.
📌 The de-occupation of Crimea is an integral part of ending the war and restoring peace. Ukrainians are doing everything possible to stop the aggressor and protect the world from Russia’s criminal actions. This is not merely a local or regional issue: Russia’s aggression poses a threat to the entire world and to the international rules-based order.