“ISW: Crimea is threatened by a water crisis due to the occupation and mismanagement of the Russian FederationCrimean reservoirs are rapidly losing water, which could lead to a shortage, as in 2020-2021. The occupying authorities prioritize
water supply to resorts, ignoring the needs of the local population.”, — write: unn.ua
DetailsIn particular, analysts point to the statement of the head of the Department of Chemical Technologies of Water Use of the Crimean Federal University, Illya Nikolenko, who said that in May 2025 alone, reservoirs in Crimea lost 11 million cubic meters of water.
Nikolenko warned that the current rate of depletion of water reserves in Crimea portends an acute water crisis reminiscent of the water shortage of 2020-2021
The authors emphasize that the Russian occupation officials are well aware of the looming water crisis, but nevertheless continue to attract Russian tourists to Crimea for the summer season. Thus, the head of the committee on ecology and natural resources of the occupation parliament of Crimea, Svitlana Shabelnikova, said that this summer Russia will provide Crimea with 60% of the necessary drinking water, and resort cities in the south of Crimea will be “provided with drinking water without interruptions.”
It remains unclear how the Russian occupation administration intends to provide 40% of the drinking water deficit. But Shabelnikova’s statements indicate that the Russian authorities prioritize water supply to tourist destinations, which could potentially leave hundreds of thousands of people without a reliable water supply who do not live in or near resort towns
One of the largest reservoirs in occupied Crimea has stopped discharging water25.07.24, 18:10 • 22293 views
They emphasize that Russia, as a belligerent occupying power, is obliged under international law to ensure the health of the population it occupies. This norm, in particular, provides for the provision of basic goods and services, such as drinking water.
ReferenceUkraine stopped supplying water to Crimea through the North Crimean Canal as a form of sanctions when Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014. It was then difficult for Russia to maintain water supplies, especially as it filled the peninsula with Russian soldiers and relocated Russian civilians to Crimea, adding to the strain on already limited water resources.
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has mismanaged water infrastructure in Crimea, failed to invest in alternative water sources, continued to divert water resources to military needs, and become embroiled in corruption scandals over water projects.
The destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam by Russia in June 2023 further seriously limited water supplies to Crimea.
Let us remind youIn April, Anatoliy Kopachevskyi, director of the scientific and production firm “Water Technologies,” said on Russian radio that reservoirs in occupied Crimea are less than 50 percent full of their maximum volume. The fullness of Crimean reservoirs at that time was half that of the same period in 2024.
Water inflow to two reservoirs in Crimea stopped due to drying up of rivers03.09.24, 11:46 • 10765 views