Russian-installed authorities in the occupied Ukrainian city of Donetsk are pushing residents to accept mine water as a substitute for drinking supplies amid a deepening humanitarian crisis, according to the National Resistance Center (CNS).
Donetsk has been under Russian control since 2014, and the occupation administration has long struggled to provide steady water, heat and medical services. Years of neglect, corruption and damaged infrastructure have left many communities without reliable utilities.
The push to present mine water as a substitute now highlights how limited the occupation’s capacity is to address even basic civilian needs.
Occupation officials call toxic mine water "suitable"
The campaign follows comments by occupation official Olena Nykytina, who claimed mine water was suitable for consumption. CNS analysts say Moscow’s local proxies are now trying to present the contaminated drainage as a “temporary solution” to mask the collapse of the region’s water network.
Experts note that mine water in Donbas contains high levels of salts, heavy metals, petroleum products, industrial chemicals and radionuclides. Even Russian environmental groups classify it as technical-use water only.
According to CNS, the occupation administration now claims that some Russian industrial regions reuse mine drainage, using this argument to convince residents that similar practices could work in Donetsk - despite the fact that those methods do not remove radiation or toxic compounds to safe levels.
Lead, arsenic, mercury and Soviet-era poisons
CNS found that Russian treatment systems cannot eliminate radionuclides or dangerous organic substances. Samples from Donbas mine reservoirs show lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and remnants of mononitrochlorobenzene - a highly poisonous compound left from Soviet-era accidents.
Radiation risks add another layer of danger. At the nearby Yunkom mine, where the USSR carried out an underground nuclear test in 1979, Russian authorities halted pumping in 2018. Flooding has since increased the risk of the protective capsule failing, raising the chance that radioactive material could enter groundwater.
Canal destroyed, buckets distributed as "aid"
The region’s normal water supply has collapsed. The Siverskyi Donets-Donbas canal is destroyed, pumping stations lie in combat zones, and much of the network cannot be repaired under occupation.
Instead of restoring it, local administrators promote mine water while distributing buckets as “aid.”
Doctors warn of liver, kidney and cancer risks
Doctors warn that long-term exposure to heavy metals can damage the liver, kidneys and nervous system, with children facing higher risks of developmental issues and cancer. Excess salts can trigger hypertension and heart problems.
Health experts say consuming mine water could be dangerous, especially for pregnant women, vulnerable patients and children.
