Crimean Tatars: No Water Supplies from Ukraine Mainland
Crimea’s shrinking water reserves are central to Ukraine’s political claims over the peninsula: In a recent statement, National Security Secretary Oleksiy Danilov excluded the option of providing occupied Crimea with water from mainland Ukraine, unless Russia returns the peninsula. Refat Chubarov, leader of Crimean Tatar Mejlis, equally calls this option unacceptable, as it would reduce Ukraine's bargaining power, and thus surrender Crimean Tatars to Russia. After Russia’s occupation in 2014, Ukrainian authorities cut Crimea from its main source of fresh water, the Dnipro River, by blocking the the North Crimean Canal.
Below is an Article published by 112 International
Secretary of the National and Security Council stated that Ukraine cannot supply water to occupied Crimea as liga.net reported.
According to him, it is impossible from a political point of view.
“My personal opinion: we cannot supply water to occupied Crimea. Moreover, from the political point of view, I believe, it is impossible. If the Russian Federation returns Crimea, then the water will be immediately supplied. It is a difficult issue. And it is impossible to believe that there is a simple solution,” he said.
Earlier, Head of Servant of the People party Davyd Arakhamia would agree on the water supply to annexed Crimea in the exchange for cessions by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Donbas issue.
Leader of Crimean Tatar Mejlis Refat Chubarov stated that the supply of water to occupied Crimea means the surrender of half of million of Crimean Tatars to Russia.
Member of the budget committee of the Verkhovna Rada, MP of Servant of the People Party Yuriy Aristov stated that Ukraine considers the possibility of water supply to annexed Crimea.
Later permanent representative of Ukraine's President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Anton Korinevych underlined that information baout the possible restoration of water supplies to the annexed Crimea is a fake.
Photo by 112 International: Secretary of the National and Security Council Oleksiy Danilov
