The emergency regime came into effect at 13:00 on Friday after authorities acknowledged that the electricity supply remains unstable despite ongoing repair work. Scheduled power cuts have been in place across both Crimea and Sevastopol since Thursday morning.

According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), between 150,000 and 200,000 tourists are currently holidaying in Crimea. Only 30,000 to 40,000 are travelling on organised package tours, while around 80% arrived by private car.

Tourists Can Leave – In Theory

ATOR noted that travellers who arrived in their own vehicles are free to end their holidays early and leave the peninsula whenever they choose. In practice, however, that option may prove more complicated.

The emergency declaration follows reports of fuel shortages at filling stations across Crimea, with motorists already facing limited fuel availability in several areas. Combined with electricity disruptions and long queues at some petrol stations, the situation raises fresh questions about how easily thousands of visitors could leave if conditions deteriorate further.

Summer Tourism Faces New Challenges

The state of emergency comes during one of Crimea’s busiest travel periods, when hotels, resorts and beaches normally welcome large numbers of domestic tourists. Ongoing infrastructure problems, including blackouts and fuel supply issues, are likely to affect both visitors and local businesses as repair work continues.

Authorities have not indicated how long the emergency measures will remain in place, while energy crews continue efforts to restore stable electricity supplies across the peninsula.