Ukraine starts water supplies to Luhansk Republic
LUHANSK. June 10 (Interfax) - A week after the authorities of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) complained to the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Ukraine has agreed to partially resume water supplies to the republic, says Alexander Drobot, head of the LPR Reconstruction Management Center (RMC).
"The OSCE did not give us formal answers but they [the authorities in Kyiv] have nevertheless agreed to turn on the water," he said on Wednesday, according to the Luhansk Information Center.
So far water will only be supplied through two water pipes from an area controlled by the Ukrainian military, the LPR RMC director said.
For his part, Alexei Anchishkin, chief engineer at the Luhansk Water Company, said that water has been supplied from Ukrainian territory to the LPR since last Tuesday. "Water supply to the republic from two water pumping systems in the Kyiv-controlled area began at 3 p.m. yesterday, June 9. Water pipe networks are being filled," he said
"But while water pipe networks are being filled, for a while water will be supplied according to a schedule. We ask residents of the republic to be understanding because it is difficult to distribute such a large amount of water among all cities," Anchishkin said.
On June 3 the head of the Luhansk military-civilian administration Hennadiy Moskal accused the LPR of starting 'a utilities war' and cut off water supplies to the republic in response to the alleged termination of power supplies to Stanitsa Luhanska (controlled by the Ukrainian army) by militia.
"Water supplies to Stanitsa [Luhanska] will not be restored unless light is back on and its steady supply has been assured," Moskal said.