Water for Crimea: Ukraine calls invaders' accusations null and void

"Any allegations of alleged violations of international law by Ukraine in connection with a halt in the water supply are null and void from the point of view of international law. They are apparently designed to 'appoint the culprit' for the costs incurred by Russia for the seventh year as a result of its illegal occupation of Crimea and the large-scale militarization of the peninsula, which is paid for by Russian taxpayers," the report reads.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that under the pretext of "humanitarian needs" the Russian occupation authorities in Crimea do not have enough water for the accelerated development of military facilities and defense industry enterprises.

"It is also obvious that the need for water resources is growing against the background of the colonization of the peninsula - rapid population growth as part of a purposeful policy to change the demographic composition of Crimea. Such actions of the occupying power are a war crime. Their goal is to populate the Ukrainian territories with Russian citizens who are loyal to the expansive policy of their state and, thus, to secure the illegal occupation," the report said.

As for the provision of water to the population of the temporarily occupied Crimea, as in the case of the provision of the temporarily occupied territory with other resources, food and medical supplies, in accordance with the Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of August 12, 1949, this applies entirely to the occupying power, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

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