24 Feb 2022 13:40

North Crimean Canal to be ready to accept water within 2 days - Crimean authorities

SIMFEROPOL. Feb 24 (Interfax) - Technical difficulties in launching a supply of water from Ukraine along the North Crimean Canal, which was closed in 2014, could be eradicated within two days, head of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov said.

"The North Crimean Canal is ready. There are some technical nuances which could be resolved within a couple of days," Aksyonov said on the air of the Rossiya-24 television channel on Thursday.

The canal is "withered" now and, at first, 30%-40% of water could be lost, he said.

Earlier, Aksyonov said that he instructed the Crimean State Water Amelioration Committee to get ready for accepting water along the North Crimean Canal.

The 400-kilometer long North Crimean Canal designed for supplying water from the Dnipro River to dry Crimean territories and agricultural lands was built in 1961-1971. The canal was used not only for agriculture and pond fish-breeding but also as a source of pure water for Crimean communities.

Ukraine cut supplies of water from the Dnipro River to Crimea when it opposed the reconnection of Crimea with Russia after the 2014 referendum.