The 'Crimean Switch Off' Campaign
Between July 6 and October 3, 2023, drone forces successfully targeted 456 energy infrastructure nodes across occupied territories and Russia as part of the 'Crimean Switch Off' campaign. In the last 10 days alone, 44 additional facilities were taken out.
The distribution of damaged energy sites by region is as follows:
- 17 in Crimea
- 14 in occupied Donetsk
- 6 in Zaporizhzhia
- 5 in Luhansk
- 1 each in Kharkiv and Kherson regions
The most critical target was the 500 kV 'Peremoga' substation near Prokhladne in Luhansk. Other key facilities struck include the 330 kV substations 'Chaikino' in Makiivka, 'Zorya' in Afonino, Donetsk region, 'Pershokostiantynivka' in Kherson, as well as 'Ostrovska' and 'Zakhidno-Krymska' in Crimea.
In Crimea, the 220 kV substations 'Krasnoperekopsk' and 'Soda' in Yany Kapu were disabled, alongside smaller nodes ranging from 'Nyzhnohirska' to 'Shturm Perekopu' in Illinka and 'Voinka'. The 'Slovyanske' substation in Ptakhy was hit twice. Donetsk saw hits on the 220 kV 'Smolyanka', 110 kV 'Poshtovyi GPP-1', and 'Pivnichna' substations, with the 'Zasyadko' substation also struck multiple times. Zaporizhzhia experienced damage to a gas distribution station in Dmytrivka.
Units Involved
The operation included participation from several units, notably:
- 414th Brigade 'Ptakhy Madyara'
- 412th Brigade 'Nemesis'
- 9th Brigade
- 20th Brigade 'K-2'
- 413th Regiment 'Raid'
- 429th Brigade 'Achilles'
- 427th Brigade 'Rarog'
- 1st Separate SBS Center
- 'Phoenix' unit of the State Border Guard Service
After two and a half months, the State Border Service reported a total of 412 energy nodes neutralized. Robert 'Madyar' Brovdi commented,
“We've taken out 44 more energy nodes across Crimea, the South, and the East in occupied territories.”He added,
“We will endure. Moscow will fall.”
The 'Crimean Switch Off' operation continues to prove its impact by systematically disabling energy infrastructure in occupied zones.
This campaign is a strategic element of Ukraine’s broader efforts to weaken occupying forces by targeting their resource capabilities amid ongoing military aggression. Striking vital energy sites disrupts the power supply critical to both Russian military operations and civilian needs in occupied regions, potentially hampering enemy effectiveness moving forward. Given the operation’s persistence and rising number of damaged targets, frontline conditions are expected to remain tense and unpredictable.