DISINFO: The water blockade of Crimea is an attempt at genocide from Ukraine
SUMMARY
The water blockade of Crimea is a crime that borders on the most atrocious crimes against humanity. About two million people were deprived of water. This is an attempt at genocide. The state built here, in Ukraine, on the Bandera ideology, carried out an attempt of the genocide of the Crimeans.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Ukraine and Crimea.
Crimea and Sevastopol were illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. Under the Geneva Convention, an occupying state bears full responsibility for all that happens on occupied territory and for all requirements, such as water.
The North Crimean Canal is the only structure through which the Crimea received water from the Dnipro River. After Russia’s illegal annexation of the peninsula, the Ukrainian leadership stated that the main condition for the renewal of the agreements on the water supply to the Crimea is the re-institution of legitimate authorities on the peninsula, which are absent following the annexation of Crimea.
That is why Ukraine decided to close the locks of the North Crimean Canal and stated that it would resume water supply to the peninsula only after the complete de-occupation of Crimea.
Crimea was illegally annexed by Moscow based on an illegitimate referendum. On 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it stated that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 9 December 2019, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.