Ukraine to Provide Crimea with Water Only after De-occupation

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has made the final decision regarding the possibility of supplying water to the Russian-annexed Crimea. According to it, water supply to the peninsula is possible only after its de-occupation.

Deputy Minister for Reintegration of the Occupied Territories Igor Yaremenko announced this. He stressed that, according to scientific research, the amount of drinking water on the peninsula for the needs of civilians is more than enough. However, this resource is actively used for Crimea militarisation today.

“The Russians have seriously militarised the peninsula, saturated it with weapons and manpower, built new military facilities there and supplied water primarily to these facilities,” the official said.

According to him, Russian troops take water from civilians, who live in the temporarily occupied territory. At the same time, Russian propaganda blames the Ukrainian authorities for the lack of water.

To recap, the most severe stage of restrictions on drinking water supply started on 7 September in Simferopol, Bakhchisaray, and Simferopol districts due to drought and reservoirs shallowing. Residents will be served strictly according to the schedule. In particular, a part of Simferopol will receive water only for three hours in the morning and evening.

According to the occupation authorities of Simferopol, the expected water consumption will drop to 100,000 cubic meters per day instead of 160,000 cubic meters.

Meanwhile, the Russian military in Crimea blocked the Biyuk-Karasu River with an earthen dam that created a pond, from which water is delivered to Simferopol.

Crimean ecologists state that regular use of water from underground sources caused salinisation of the soil on the peninsula. The condition of the Belogorsk Reservoir significantly deteriorated in August, as the reservoir began to become waterlogged.

Bohdan Marusyak