The Russian occupation authorities in Crimea have begun dismantling power transformers from the pumping stations of the North Crimean Canal in order to use them to restore damaged energy facilities on the peninsula. This was reported by the partisan movement "ATESH", writes UNN.
Details
According to the movement's agents, the equipment is being transported to electrical substations that were damaged by strikes from the Ukrainian Defense Forces. ATESH claims that Russia is experiencing a shortage of spare transformers and is therefore forced to transfer equipment between its own facilities. This concerns power transformers with a capacity of 10 to 40 MVA, which previously ensured the operation of large pumping stations.
The movement notes that the Russian command is primarily trying to restore electricity supply to defense industry facilities, railway hubs, air defense systems, radars, and command posts. At the same time, due to sanctions, the manufacturing or procurement of new transformers takes from six months to a year and a half.
As ATESH reminded, the North Crimean Canal has been virtually non-functional since June 2023 after the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, when the water level in the Dnipro River fell below the critical mark. The movement also stated that all collected information has already been transferred to the Ukrainian Defense Forces.