5 July 2026
Drones attacked power substations in the city of Bakhchisarai and the village of Zymyne in occupied Crimea.
This is evidenced by thermal anomalies detected by NASA’s FIRMS satellite monitoring system.
The satellites detected the fires at 3:30 a.m. local time. Earlier, a drone alert had been declared across the peninsula.
The first target was the 220 kV Bakhchisarai substation (coordinates: 44.75572583142488, 33.86363534125571), which supplies electricity to the Bakhchisarai district and surrounding areas.
The facility is part of the regional power transmission network and is connected to transmission lines from the 330 kV Simferopol substation, as well as other facilities, including those serving the Sevastopol direction.
Fire at the 220 kV Bakhchisarai substation in the city of Bakhchisarai, Crimea. July 5, 2026. Photo credits: Exilenova+
Fire at the 220 kV Bakhchisarai substation in the city of Bakhchisarai, Crimea. July 5, 2026. Photo credits: Exilenova+
Satellite image of the 220 kV Bakhchisarai substation in the city of Bakhchisarai, Crimea. Source: Google Maps
Thermal anomaly detected at the Bakhchisarai substation. July 5, 2026. Source: NASA FIRMS satellite monitoring system
The second target was the 10/35/10 kV Zymyne substation (coordinates: 45.515133, 33.515204). As in Bakhchisarai, a thermal anomaly was detected there at 3:30 a.m.
The facility supplies electricity to the village of Zymyne and nearby settlements in the Rozdilne district and neighboring areas, including Kovilne, Nyva, Kamyshne, and Ruchyi.
Thermal anomaly detected at the 10/35/10 kV Zymyne substation. July 5, 2026. Source: NASA FIRMS satellite monitoring system.
Satellite image of the 10/35/10 kV Zymyne substation in the Rozdolne district, Crimea. Source: Google Maps
The substation is part of Crimea’s Northwestern Power District.
Strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces on such facilities have intensified significantly in 2026, creating additional challenges for Russian forces stationed on the occupied peninsula.
These systematic attacks disrupt power supplies to military bases, positions connected to the civilian power grid, and facilities that repair and restore military equipment.
Analysis of nighttime satellite imagery, including data from NASA Black Marble and VIIRS, shows a noticeable decline in nighttime illumination across Crimea compared with July 2025.
Militarnyi previously reported that units of the Unmanned Systems Forces had carried out a large-scale operation targeting critical infrastructure in the occupied territories over 48 hours.