In the heat of the day, a city has been without water for over a week. Water delivery by trucks promised by occupation administration officials is not being carried out in reality because of a lack of transport. There is no water even in shops because suppliers cannot cope with the demand.

Restoration of water supply, which was interrupted after a major accident, fails because of the next major accident that occurs during an attempt to turn on the water.

Two weeks later, the city is back with water, which has long been supplied on schedule. Some streets receive water for 3-5 hours in the morning and evening every day. Others – for several hours every three days. Some, however, still do not receive water two months after the accident. This is because there is not enough water for everyone, residents are told. For the rest, the water is still regularly cut off outside the schedule due to subsequent breakdowns and breakthroughs.

This is not Donetsk, as someone might think after reading news in recent weeks. This is Kadiivka – formerly Stakhanov – in the occupied Luhansk region.

But the situation in Donetsk region is the most critical. And the occupiers seem to be trying to exploit it rather than resolve it.

Disable ads

"It seems to me that the Russians started talking about the crisis in Donetsk and put it on TV to use it to explain why they want to take the north of the region," tells LIGA.net Dmytro Durnev, a journalist who is well acquainted with the former and current "elite" and expert circles in Donetsk. Since 2014, he has been covering the impact of the war on the region, including its infrastructure and water sources.

He assumes that Moscow will soon start promoting claims of epidemics in the "republic" due to unsanitary conditions and will organize a demonstrative evacuation of residents. "And the 'exchange of territories' will consist in the fact that we will be offered to restore the Kakhovka dam so that we can supply water to Crimea as well," Durnev adds.

Subscribe to LIGA PRO to read this article. Go to the full version of the page.