A humanitarian crisis is escalating in temporarily occupied Crimea. Russians on the peninsula are depleting resources, particularly creating a water crisis. This was reported to UNN journalist by Olga Kuryshko, Permanent Representative of the President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
Humanitarian situation in Crimea
"If we talk about the humanitarian crisis, it is escalating. There are several dimensions here: persecution, torture, enforced disappearances. This is all that accompanies the lives of people in the temporarily occupied territory for a long period. The worst thing we are seeing now is the destruction of Ukrainian identity, because, at first glance, these are not obvious things, but in fact, the destruction of Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar identity in the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea is carried out with the aim of ensuring that there are no people who resist the temporary occupation," Kuryshko said.
Kuryshko also emphasized that Russians in Crimea are depleting resources, particularly creating a water crisis on the peninsula.
"Another component, which is not talked about much now, but Russia is doing everything for it - is the crisis related to water. After the destruction of the Kakhovka reservoir, the destruction of all infrastructure networks, Russia, the occupation administrations are trying to extract water from artesian wells. We know that according to preliminary estimates, for example, if an artesian well was 200 meters, now it is 500. They are depleting resources and this definitely affects the civilian population. This is already confirmed information that the Russian Federation uses water for military, military purposes," Kuryshko said.
Resettlement of Russians to Crimea
Kuryshko noted that the Kremlin continues to resettle Russians to occupied Crimea.
"That is why they are creating new logistical routes between the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea and other territories in order to advance all these processes that they have started," Kuryshko said.
She noted to UNN that Russia is militarizing people and imprisoning people with pro-Ukrainian views in the occupied territories.
Destruction of the Crimean Bridge
Kuryshko commented on the destruction of the Crimean Bridge.
"It is always relevant," said the Permanent Representative of the President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.