Reservoirs in occupied Crimea have stopped shrinking rapidly: experts cite the reason
In July 2026, the reservoirs in the temporarily occupied Crimea experienced significantly less water loss than usual for the first time in several years. Experts note that this is not due to increased rainfall, but to other factors that have affected the peninsula’s water balance.
The fact is that water consumption in occupied Crimea has dropped sharply. This was reported by “Krym.Realii,” citing an unnamed economist from Simferopol.
According to the publication’s source, who wished to remain anonymous, the decline in water consumption on the peninsula is due to a number of negative factors.
“This summer we are witnessing an unusual phenomenon—water consumption is falling at an unprecedented rate. There are several reasons, and none of them are good news. The main ones are prolonged power outages across the Crimean Peninsula, which cut off the water supply to consumers; a critical drop in production; farmers’ refusal to irrigate their fields; and the collapse of the tourist season. Under these conditions, there is no need to release water from reservoirs, so they continue to fill up even in July. This year is becoming the year of an unprecedented economic collapse in Crimea in this century. The consequences are already being felt in all areas of Crimeans’ lives,” the expert said.
“Crimea.Realities” noted that over the past six months, the volume of water in Crimean reservoirs has increased by 100 million cubic meters, whereas during the same period last year, it increased by only 14 million cubic meters. These figures were provided by Ilya Nikolenko, Doctor of Technical Sciences and professor, who heads the Department of Chemical Technologies for Water Use at the Institute of Biochemical Technologies, Ecology, and Pharmacy of the Vernadsky Crimean Federal University.
Source: Krym.Realii
As a reminder, on the night of July 22, the temporarily occupied Crimea came under attack by drones. Explosions and fires were reported in several cities across the peninsula, including Yalta, Feodosia, and Alushta.
The Russian Red Cross has begun building up additional stocks of humanitarian aid for the temporarily occupied Crimea and Sevastopol following the declaration of a state of emergency on the peninsula.
On the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula, local residents report prolonged power outages, fuel shortages, rising prices, and problems with the functioning of social infrastructure.
