The water crisis caused by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine (TOT) is intensifying and leading to unsanitary living conditions in several regions. This is stated in a material by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reported by UNN.
Details
Analysts point to the statement by Mariupol Mayor's advisor Petro Andryushchenko, according to whom the Khanzhenkivske reservoir on the Krynka River, the main source of drinking water for the occupied Donetsk region, has completely dried up. In addition:
- the "administration" of the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic" (DPR) noted that the "Don-Donbas" water pipeline, which supplies the occupied Donetsk region with a third of its water supply, has reached critically low water levels;
- the "Komsomolskaya Pravda" newspaper reported that the occupied Donetsk region is on the verge of a water collapse and receives only 30 percent of the necessary water supply;
- "Komsomolskaya Pravda" also reported that an unspecified "accident" on the Berdivsky water pipeline led to the cessation of centralized water supply to occupied Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia region.
- The Ukrainian National Resistance Center reported that Russia destroyed the water supply system during the occupation of the occupied Donetsk region and never built a new one, which means that many areas of the occupied Donetsk region receive water for only a few hours every three days.
The lack of access to water forces residents of occupied Ukraine to resort to extreme and unsanitary adaptation methods. Oleg Tsaryov, a former Ukrainian politician living in occupied Crimea due to his pro-Russian activities, stated on July 21 that people in the occupied Donetsk region often put a plastic bag in the toilet and throw it away after use, as it is impossible to flush the toilet due to lack of water.
They emphasize that unsanitary conditions can lead to a health crisis in the TOT.
"The water crisis is a direct consequence of the Russian occupation and Russian military actions. Russia not only spreads this crisis through the occupation of Ukraine, but also consistently fails to comply with its international legal obligations as a belligerent occupying power to protect the health of the population it occupies," analysts conclude.
Recall
According to ISW, Crimea may face a serious water crisis in the coming months, provoked by the Russian occupation of Crimea and further exacerbated by mismanagement and irrational use of resources by the Russian Federation.