LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Russia had maintained an iron grip on Crimea since it seized the territory in its initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
But Ukraine is now waging a sustained drone campaign that's upending daily life on the peninsula. Russia and Ukraine are also attacking ships in the waters off Crimea.
FADEL: For more, we're joined by NPR's Greg Myre in Kyiv. Good morning, Greg.
GREG MYRE, BYLINE: Hi, Leila.
FADEL: So how serious are these Ukrainian attacks against Crimea?
MYRE: Quite serious. Early Thursday, Ukrainian drones knocked out electricity in Sevastopol, the biggest and most important city in Crimea. Now, power was restored after several hours, but these are now everyday events. Electricity and cellphone service is going out for days at a time. Water also gets cut off. Fuel is scarce and has been rationed. People say shops are often closed.
Now, after Russia captured Crimea 12 years ago, an estimated 1 million Russians - troops and civilians - poured into the peninsula. Many Ukrainians also fled the territory, and it has been securely in Russian hands. But the Ukrainians are now causing major disruptions, and the Russians have just not been able to stop them.
FADEL: Now, Crimea is a place that resonates with both Russia and Ukraine. Can you just explain its significance?
MYRE: Sure. Crimea's location and its climate have made it a prize. It's been fought over for centuries by many different countries. The peninsula sits between two important bodies of water - the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. And for Russia's military, Crimea is this warm-weather port to the south, so very critical there. And tourists are drawn to the mild weather and these picturesque views of the sea and the mountains. And normally, it would be packed this time of year with families taking summer beach vacations, but the tourists have stayed away because of all this turmoil.
FADEL: Now, these Ukrainian attacks are not just taking place in Crimea, but also in the waters off the territory. What impact is that having?
MYRE: Quite an impact. Crimea is a peninsula connected to the mainland, but only by a narrow strip of land. So it's almost like an island, and Russia needs to send many supplies for its troops and its civilians - food, fuel, military gear. And Ukraine has also been pounding Russian ships and ferries. Ukraine hits them with its increasingly powerful drones from the air and drones at sea, and these include surface drones and underwater drones. Ukraine says it's hit more than 200 Russian ships in the past month, and this has also contributed to these widespread shortages. Some civilians appear to be leaving and returning to Russia. But we should note the Russian military is still entrenched in Crimea, though it's being hit very hard.
FADEL: And how is the Russian military responding?
MYRE: Yeah. The navy - the Russian navy is striking international cargo ships that pick up Ukrainian corn and wheat and sunflower oil in the Ukrainian port of Odesa. We should stress - Russia is attacking civilian cargo ships. These are ships from other countries, not from Ukraine, and these ships have no way of defending themselves. Ten sailors were killed in one attack, and this has really scared away almost all international ships. And this is coming at harvest season, so Ukraine doesn't have any way to export by sea.
Now, Ukraine has also struck some Russian grain facilities and ships. These two countries are both major grain growers, and if they can't export, this could really put pressure on global food prices.
FADEL: That's NPR's Greg Myre. Thank you, Greg.
MYRE: Sure thing, Leila. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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