UK intel reports growing water scarcity issue in Russian-occupied Donetsk

In its latest intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine, the British Defense Ministry reports on the ongoing water scarcity issue in Russian-occupied Donetsk, which has worsened since the 2022 invasion, and warns that the dearth of water in the area could worsen despite Russian attempts to remedy the situation.

The ministry tweeted:

• “On 28 April 2023, the head of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, announced that regional water supplies were dangerously low. Water scarcity has been a growing issue for Russian-occupied Donetsk since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.”
• “The Siversky-Donets canal (the Siverskyi Donets – Donbas canal, – Ed.) which supplies the region remains largely under Ukrainian control but has been frequently contested along its long route. Russian forces have likely been seeking to secure the canal to reduce water scarcity within Donetsk.”
• “The Siversky-Donets canal traverses through the town of Chasiv Yar, approximately 6km to the west of Bakhmut. Russia’s heavy use of indirect artillery to support the capture of Bakhmut and surrounding territory has likely inflicted collateral damage to the canal and other regional water infrastructure, undermining Russia’s efforts to remedy the lack of water that its invasion originally created. To compensate for its lack of success in capturing and retaining the canal Russia is likely constructing a water pipeline to mitigate the water shortage in Donetsk City. However, this is highly unlikely to fully compensate for the occupied regions’ reduced access to water.”

https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1655969715573989383

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