During a special operation in Ukraine, the Russian army ensured the exit of Russian troops to Kherson, which made it possible to unblock the North Crimean Canal and restore water supply to the Crimean peninsula. This was announced by the Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday, February 24.
"The joint use of raid detachments and airborne troops in the Crimean direction ensured the exit of Russian troops to the city of Kherson. This made it possible to unblock the North Crimean Canal and restore water supply to the Crimean peninsula," said the official representative of the department Igor Konashenkov, reports RT.
Earlier, the head of Crimea Sergey Aksenov instructed to prepare the North Crimean Canal to receive fresh water from the Dnieper.
He also noted that the authorities decided to introduce a high-alert regime on the peninsula. Such measures are necessary for the possibility of a simplified solution of emerging problems, writes "Ridus".
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address that in response to the appeal of the leaders of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), he decided to conduct an operation to protect Donbass. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow's plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories.
After that, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky accused Russia of hitting the country's military infrastructure and imposed martial law throughout the country. By order of Zelensky, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) will meet on February 24.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the army did not launch air missile or artillery strikes on Ukrainian cities. They stressed that nothing threatens the civilian population of the country. High-precision means of destruction disable military infrastructure: military airfields, aviation, air defense facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On February 21, the heads of the DPR and LPR Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik appealed to Putin with a request to recognize the independence of the republics. The relevant decrees were signed in the evening of the same day. In the presence of the leaders of the republics, the President of the Russian Federation also signed treaties on friendship, cooperation and assistance.
In 2014, Ukraine cut off the supply of water to Crimea via the North Crimean Canal, which provided up to 90% of the peninsula's needs. Russia has partially solved the problem of water supply by searching for new sources and drilling wells.
Crimea returned to Russia following the results of the 2014 referendum. 96.77% of the residents of the region and 95.6% of the voters of Sevastopol voted for joining. The procedure was carried out in accordance with international law. Meanwhile, Kiev considers the peninsula its temporarily occupied territory. Moscow has repeatedly stated that the issue of ownership of the subject is closed forever.
