Sabotage in Crimea Risks Military Move by Putin

The Russian-annexed peninsula is cast into darkness. If the pain gets worse, will the Kremlin carve out a land bridge, defying the West?

Crimea declared a state of emergency on Sunday after its main electricity lines from Ukraine were blown up, leaving the Russian-annexed peninsula in darkness after the second such attack in as many days.

Photographer: Max Vetro/AFP via Getty Images
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The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has taken an ominous new turn. So far it's Crimea that's paying the price, but Kiev could be next.

The Russian-held peninsula was plunged into darkness over the weekend as saboteurs in Ukraine cut off most of its electricity supply. A series of explosions in the south, starting on Thursday, knocked out transmission lines that supply 80 percent of Crimea's electricity. Most of the peninsula still has little or no power, and the Crimean government has declared a state of emergency, as Ukrainian protesters block utility crews from repairing the damage.