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Russia Cannibalizes Idle Crimea Canal Infrastructure to Repair Strike-Damaged Power Grid
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Russian authorities are dismantling power transformers from pumping stations along the North Crimean Canal in temporarily occupied Crimea and relocating them to electrical substations damaged by Ukrainian strikes, according to the ATESH partisan movement.
In a statement published on Telegram on July 14, ATESH cited agents working within one of the Russian-installed occupation administrations in Crimea, claiming the move reflects a growing shortage of replacement equipment in Russia.
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“The reason is simple: Russia has simply run out of spare transformers. After the Ukrainian Defense Forces' systematic strikes on Russia's energy infrastructure, the occupiers have been forced to cannibalize their own infrastructure—removing equipment from one facility to patch gaps at another. Producing a new transformer of this class takes anywhere from six months to a year and a half, while sanctions prevent Russia from quickly purchasing replacements abroad,” the movement stated.
ATESH said the transformers being removed are high-capacity units rated between 10 and 40 MVA, previously used at major pumping stations, including Pumping Station No. 355 on the Interconnection Canal.
According to ATESH, Russian authorities are prioritizing facilities supplying electricity to defense industry enterprises, railway junctions, air defense systems, radar installations, and military command posts.
“Transferring transformers from these ‘dead’ pumping stations is an attempt to quickly restore power to critical facilities without waiting for new imports or the lengthy process of manufacturing replacement units,” the statement read.
The movement added that the amount of equipment available for redeployment is steadily shrinking, making Russia's energy infrastructure increasingly vulnerable to future Ukrainian strikes.
The North Crimean Canal has remained largely inoperative since June 2023, when the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant caused water levels in the Dnipro River to fall below the threshold required to supply water to Crimea. According to ATESH, the pumping stations have remained idle since then.
The reported redistribution follows recent Ukrainian strikes on Crimea's power grid. Overnight on July 10, a Ukrainian drone attack hit the 110/10 kV Moynaky electrical substation in Russian-occupied Yevpatoria, according to the Crimean Wind Telegram channel.
The strike sparked a fire at the facility, a major power distribution hub supplying local electricity networks, leaving Yevpatoria and nearby settlements without power.
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