Authorities in Russian-occupied Crimea have imposed a bizarre night-time crackdown on motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes, claiming their engine noise could be mistaken for Ukrainian drone attacks.
The sweeping restriction, introduced by Sergei Aksyonov, the Kremlin-installed head of Crimea, bans the vehicles from being used between 8pm and 6am from Wednesday.
Officials said the move was necessary because the sound of small engines could resemble the buzzing of incoming drones and interfere with air-defence operations.
Oleg Kryuchkov, an adviser to Aksyonov, went further, accusing Ukraine of exploiting young people to create confusion after dark.
“The enemy is recruiting your children for night-time rides,” he claimed in a message on Telegram. “The moped noise hampers the work of defence systems. Their engines sound similar [to drones].”
The extraordinary measures come as Ukraine has stepped up drone strikes against the illegally annexed peninsula, a key military hub for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Kyiv has increasingly targeted Russian supply routes, fuel infrastructure and military positions in Crimea as part of its campaign to weaken Moscow’s grip on the region.
The attacks have also triggered growing disruption behind Russian lines. In Sevastopol, the largest city in Crimea and home to Russia’s naval headquarters, officials confirmed fuel rationing would continue, with motorists limited to just 20 litres per vehicle at petrol stations.
Long queues have appeared at filling stations across Russian-controlled Crimea, the Krasnodar region and other areas, highlighting the domestic pressure created by Ukraine’s expanding drone campaign.
The latest restrictions underline the growing security anxiety on the peninsula, where even ordinary civilian activity is now being viewed through the lens of wartime threats.
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