Russian-controlled Crimea has begun reinstalling public street phones to allow residents to contact emergency services as mobile communications are increasingly disrupted amid the war with Ukraine.
The phones are free to use and are intended specifically for emergency calls.
Street landline phones have been installed in cities including Yevpatoriya, Kerch and Dzhankoi.
Residents can use them to call police, ambulance services, firefighters, emergency gas services and the general emergency number 112.
The return of the street phone comes as mobile networks across the peninsula are frequently disrupted or jammed.
Russian authorities have cited security concerns and Ukrainian attacks, while Ukraine has targeted supply lines, military installations and energy infrastructure in Crimea as part of efforts to undermine Russia’s war effort.
Officials have stopped giving estimates for when power will be restored, instead telling residents to follow radio updates and use public charging stations for their mobile phones, as municipalities cut back on street lighting.
In Yevpatoriya, on Crimea’s western coast, a Reuters witness saw several of the newly installed phones.
Local residents said the system could provide “an additional possibility for protection” if it continued working during power outages.
The need for alternative communications has become increasingly apparent as Crimea experiences repeated attacks, power cuts and fuel shortages.
On Wednesday, local authorities said 17 civilians were injured in a drone attack on the southern city of Yalta, where a high-rise apartment building was hit. Both Russia and Ukraine deny deliberately targeting civilians.
The peninsula, a popular holiday destination before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has also been forced to cancel children’s summer camps and reduce the operating hours of cafes and public transport amid the disruption.
