Ukraine to stop water supply to separatist-held areas of the Luhansk region
The Ukrainian company Luhansk Energy Union (LEU) said that as of Monday 6 November, inhabitants of the Luhansk province will have no water supply due to the waterworks’ debt, as reported by the TV channel 112 Ukraine with reference to the LEU’s statement.
According to the TV channel, power to the Petrovsk pump station of the Popasna waterworks which supplies the inhabitants of the Luhansk province will be switched off. The LEU’s report notes that the company’s leadership has repeatedly asked the government to stop supply to the province’s territory, but without response.
As of 6 November, the debt amounts to nearly 157 million hryvnia (340.2 million rubles) and keeps growing, LEU pointed out. The company explained that this amount came about due to the debts of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic.
Deputy Minister for the temporarily occupied territories and internally displaced persons Heorhiy Tuka told 112 Ukraine that the debt is for 2015-2016. “The situation is really difficult. During the Minsk negotiations, this matter was brought up repeatedly,” he said. However, Tuka noted that “according to the Ministry, the debts are not growing now, every month there is a calculation of the current level of water demand”.
He added that the Energy Union’s ruling was made without the consent of the central authorities. “On the assumption that initially the management of this company ignored the demands of the Ukrainian government to re-register in the controlled territory, the owner of this company is Mr [Konstantin] Hryhoryshyn,” said Tuka. In his opinion, Hryhoryshyn “defiantly and blatantly ignores the recommendations, wishes and regulations of the central authorities”. “For more than two years I have constantly asked the leadership of the government to either nationalize this company or introduce external control,” he emphasized.
The company Luhansk Energy Union supplies the Luhansk province’s electrical power. The company’s technical facilities include high-voltage grids, substations, distribution grids, overhead and cable lines, and transformation substations.