Russian-held Crimea curbs the use of motorcycles, saying they sound like drones

Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, has banned the use of motorised vehicles such as scooters, quad bikes and motorcycles at nighttime, saying they sound like drone attacks, Moscow-installed authorities said.



Sergei Aksyonov, the peninsula's Russian-installed governor, said the ban, which he called a temporary measure to guard military and other important facilities, would be in place between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Wednesday onwards.



"The moped noise hampers the work of defence systems. Their engines sound similar (to drones)," Oleg Kryuchkov, Aksyonov's advisor, said separately on Telegram on Tuesday. "The enemy is recruiting your children for nighttime rides."



The ban in Crimea, a popular summer tourist destination for Russians, does not apply to cars or larger vehicles. Ukraine has recently intensified drone attacks on Crimea, home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet, targeting the peninsula's supply routes and triggering a fuel crisis, as the holiday season starts.