Russian Officials Blame Crimean Residents for Water Shortage

Crimea suffers from water shortages because Crimean residents themselves allegedly “stole” water. The corresponding statement was made by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, appointed by the Kremlin as the “curator” of Crimea after his visit to the occupied peninsula.

“The key problem of losses is theft. This issue should also be settled, law enforcement agencies should be involved, if necessary. We should establish where the unauthorised withdrawal of water takes place, where the wrong meters were put, where people deliberately break or damage meters, or water their vegetable gardens. Some people don’t have enough water at home, while other people pour as much water as they want without a water meter,” the official said.

He stressed that Crimean people could have enough fresh water if the authorities “eliminate 50% of losses.”

As a reminder, the Russian government allocated more than RUR 870 million ahead of schedule to solve water problems in the annexed Crimea.

Representatives of the Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly stated that the supply of water to the peninsula through the North Crimean Canal is possible only after the complete de-occupation of the territory by Russia. Ecologists note that Crimea is now on the verge of ecological catastrophe due to the shortage of water and intensive groundwater depletion.

Bohdan Marusyak