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Russia Reduces Rail Service to Occupied Crimea as Logistics Lockdown Intensifies
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Russia has significantly reduced railway connections with occupied Crimea, cancelling 11 train routes, with the last scheduled departure set for July 8. From now on, only seven trains will operate to and from the peninsula, all serving Kerch.
This was reported by the Russian carrier “Grand Service Express” in a Telegram statement on June 25.
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According to the company, rail services to Crimea will now be limited to connections with Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Adler.
“By decision of the Crimean operational headquarters, the company is reducing the number of ‘Tavria’ trains operating to and from Crimea. Seven trains will run daily to and from Kerch-Yuzhnaya station,” the statement said.
Passengers travelling to Kerch are transported by bus from train routes. However, local reports have highlighted disruptions in this system.
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In a recent incident overnight on June 21–22, passengers of train No. 184 “Sevastopol–Murmansk” were unable to reach Kerch by bus due to a shortage of fuel. As a result, some passengers reportedly had to hire taxis, with fares reaching around 12,000 rubles per vehicle (approximately $60), according to the Russian media outlet ForPost.
The development is taking place against the backdrop of Ukraine’s ongoing logistics lockdown campaign targeting fuel logistics, bridges, pontoons etc.
The reduction in rail services comes amid ongoing disruptions to transport infrastructure in temporarily occupied Crimea following recent strikes. In the early hours of June 18, Ukrainian drones again targeted temporarily occupied Crimea, hitting two key bridge structures in what appears to be a renewed wave of attacks on Russian logistics infrastructure on the peninsula.
According to the pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel “Crimean Wind,” the strikes hit a railway bridge over the North Crimean Canal near the village of Rozdolne in the Ichki district.
The railway line in question is considered strategically important for Russian occupation forces on the southern front, as it is used for transporting heavy armored vehicles, ammunition, and fuel supplies.
Following the reported strikes, the Telegram channel claimed that both freight and passenger rail traffic could be fully disrupted. It also noted that trains arriving from Russia via the Kerch Bridge would only be able to reach the Vladislavovka junction or Feodosia.
At the same time, fuel sales at filling stations in Russia-occupied Crimea were fully suspended on June 21, with authorities halting all forms of distribution, including cash and non-cash payments as well as fuel coupons, according to Russian-installed head of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov.
He stated that the restrictions apply to both individuals and legal entities. Under the decision, fuel will be supplied exclusively to state services responsible for maintaining the peninsula’s “life support and security.”
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