DISINFO: Ukraine is depriving Crimea of freshwater
SUMMARY
… a problem facing Crimea and caused by Ukraine.. depriving citizens of freshwater.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Ukraine and Crimea this time about access to water.
Crimea and Sevastopol were illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Under international law, Russia has a duty to provide supplies in those territories.
The North Crimean Canal is the only structure through which the Crimea received water from the Dnipro River.
After Russia’s illegal annexation of the peninsula, the Ukrainian leadership stated that the main condition for the renewal of the agreements on the water supply to the Crimea is the re-institution of legitimate authorities on the peninsula, which are absent following the annexation of Crimea.
That is why Ukraine decided to close the locks of the North Crimean Canal and stated that it would resume freshwater supply to the peninsula only after the complete de-occupation of Crimea.
Crimea was illegally annexed by Moscow based on an illegitimate referendum. On 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it stated that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 9 December 2019, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.
Read similar cases claiming that Crimean people have expressed their desire to rejoin Russia in a democratic process, that Crimea never belonged to Ukraine, that Crimea’s reunification with Russia was legal.