According to Moscow, Russian troops take over the North Crimean Canal

According to information from Moscow, the Russian armed forces now have control of the important waterway on the annexed peninsula of Crimea. As the army announced last night, they had advanced as far as the city of Cherson.

The blockade of the North Crimean Canal could thus be ended and the water supply to the peninsula restored, it said. The canal could be put back into operation within 48 hours, said Crimean governor Sergey Aksyonov.

After Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Ukrainian authorities shut off the water supply, which accounts for 85 percent of the peninsula’s water needs. Since this step, there has been an acute water shortage in Crimea.

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