Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Borys Babin has said the water supply from Ukraine to Russian-occupied Crimea will resume only after the end of Russian occupation.
"They have problems [because of drought] and they concern the entire economy of Crimea since entire industries will now see a decline there due to the lack of water," Babin said, according to the Obozrevatel online media outlet.
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In his words, Russia's attempts to resume water supplies on the pretext of an environmental disaster caused by evaporation of acid from settling tanks of several enterprises due to the lack of water are botched.
"They were and are able to pump [water] from other sources. If the occupiers have not done so, the responsibility rests with them," the envoy said.
The environmental issue of Crimea is being monitored at the highest level in Ukraine, Babin said.
"Appropriate measures are being taken, in particular, we have initiated relevant expert examinations by environmental inspections; we have informed monitoring missions of international organizations about the actions of the insolent occupiers who have been destroying the environment of Crimea and [neighboring Ukrainian-controlled] Kherson region," the official said.
