Putin Ready to Sacrifice Crimea Chief Aksyonov as Crisis Deepens, Partisans Say

The Kremlin has decided to remove Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of occupied Crimea, after elections scheduled for September.On Friday, according to the Ukrainian partisan movement Atesh, citing agents inside the peninsula’s occupation administration, Moscow plans to blame Aksyonov for the worsening humanitarian and infrastructure problems in Crimea, including disruptions to electricity, water, and fuel supplies.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“The main goal of this personnel purge is to reduce social tensions and calm growing dissatisfaction with the authorities among the local population,” Atesh said.The group described the reported plan as an attempt to portray Aksyonov as responsible for systemic problems while preserving the Kremlin’s image.Atesh claimed that Aksyonov had responded to the threat of dismissal by publicly criticizing local officials and legislators and seeking to demonstrate that he remained in control.In early July, Aksyonov threatened that officials who failed to assist residents affected by worsening conditions would no longer be allowed to work in Crimea.The partisan movement said Moscow plans to wait until after September’s elections to avoid political instability during the voting period.According to Atesh, Alexei Dmitriev, the Russian-appointed interior minister in Crimea, is considered a leading candidate to replace Aksyonov.Dmitriev, a police major general, was appointed to head Russia’s interior ministry branch in Crimea in 2025. His possible selection would represent a shift toward tighter control by Russia’s security services as dissatisfaction grows on the peninsula, Atesh said. Other Topics of Interest ‘Reckless’ Russia Condemned as Missile with ‘Significant’ Payload Crashes in Poland NATO described the incident as “another reckless act by Russia.” The Kremlin is also reportedly considering appointing a military commander through Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “Time of Heroes” program, which places veterans of Russia’s war against Ukraine in government positions.Atesh cited Alexander Shuvayev as an example of the policy. Putin appointed Shuvayev, a former commander of Russia’s 1st Separate Motor Rifle Brigade and a participant in the “Time of Heroes” program, as acting governor of Russia’s Belgorod region in May 2026.The report comes as Crimea faces recurring power outages and disruptions to water and fuel supplies. Russia’s occupation authorities introduced emergency measures in June, while Ukrainian forces have continued striking energy and logistics infrastructure used by the Russian military. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.