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Crimea seeks to prosecute Ukrainian individuals for water blockade

According to the experts, the artificial water shortage reduced the number of birds’ species as well as worsened the state of their populations.

Northern Crimean Canal during the water blockade, 2014 Alexei Pavlishak/TASS

Northern Crimean Canal during the water blockade, 2014

© Alexei Pavlishak/TASS

SIMFEROPOL, April 14. / TASS /. The Crimean parliament’s working group is drawing up a statement to law enforcement agencies to launch a criminal case against a number of Ukrainian citizens regarding the damage to the peninsula’s environment due to the water blockade by Ukraine, the parliament’s press service reported on Wednesday.

"The statement on prosecution for committing a crime against peace and security of mankind is at the final stage," the press service stated.

Crimea’s State Council (parliament) noted that while drawing up the statement, the working group’s members studied data on the consequences of the peninsula’s water blockade by Ukraine. According to the experts, the artificial water shortage reduced the number of birds’ species as well as worsened the state of their populations. Furthermore, the blockage of the North Crimean Canal has been detrimental to the wetlands of international importance "Central Sivash" and "Eastern Sivash".

According to the Article 358 of Russia’s Criminal Code, mass destruction of flora or fauna, poisoning of the atmosphere or water resources as well as other actions capable of causing an environmental disaster are punishable by 12-20 years behind bars. Earlier, the Crimean authorities reported that they would file a lawsuit against Ukraine’s former President Pyotr Poroshenko and four other individuals due to the damage caused by the water, energy, transport and food blockades.

In May 2014, Ukraine unilaterally cut off water from the Kherson Region, supplied through the North Crimean Canal, which met up to 90% of the peninsula's demand. Currently, the region’s residents and enterprises receive water from local sources. Russia’s government will allocate more than 48 bln rubles (about $630 mln) until 2024 to solve the problem of water shortages in Crimea. The comprehensive plan, prepared on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is going to provide an additional water supply of at least 310,000 cubic meters per day. Besides, in November 2015, electricity supplies to Crimea from the neighboring state were completely cut off. Until May 2016, a state of emergency remained in force across the peninsula, while rolling shutdowns of consumers were used.

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