Residents of northern districts in annexed Crimea say that to receive a 15,000-ruble compensation payment after multiday power and water outages, men are being required to present a stamp in their passport confirming they are registered for military service, according to posts on social media and comments under a post by the region's head, Sergei Aksyonov, as reported by Novaya Gazeta Europe.
The payment is intended for those who were without electricity and water for more than 48 hours following attacks on energy infrastructure. Under official conditions, applicants only need to confirm their residence at the address — documents such as registration papers, work certificates, or medical records are accepted. Authorities have announced no additional requirements.
One resident of the Dzhankoi district wrote to Aksyonov that when filing an application, men are 'obligatorily' asked to get a stamp from the military enlistment office in their passport. The head of Crimea did not respond to her.
The public page 'Krym Operativny' (Crimea Operative), citing the administration of the Azov rural settlement, clarified that the requirement applies to men and women with medical specialties. Medical workers — both men and women — with specialized education are considered liable for military service in Russia and subject to military registration.
Residents also complain that they are forced to personally visit rural settlement administrations to submit applications, even though authorities had earlier promised the option to apply through the Gosuslugi online portal. Due to fuel shortages and lack of transport, not everyone can travel from villages, and people have to stand in lines at the administrations.
The energy crisis in Crimea began in late May. First, fuel rationing was introduced on the peninsula, and in early July, mass power outages began. According to independent media, the blackouts and fuel shortages are linked to the Ukrainian military campaign aimed at isolating the peninsula: strikes on trucks on the land corridor, ships in the Azov and Black Seas, and Crimean electrical substations.