Last week, local information resources were diligently preparing their readers and viewers for a further worsening of the tap water shortage problem. Local authorities once again “reminded” that the occupied Donbas was left without water due to a water blockade, the beginning of which coincided with the open invasion of Ukraine by russian troops, but which, allegedly, was arranged by Kyiv. Officials of all ranks, both from Donetsk and those who came from moscow, addressed the population with pain in their voices, in the style of: “There is no water, but hang in there…” One Telegram channel aptly noted: “The media have gone into full heat-up mode, saying that we have no water at all, and something urgent must be done”.
“There is no water, but hang in there…”
The main speaker was the head of the so-called "DNR" Denis Pushilin, but to demonstrate that the hardships of the Donbas residents are known even in the kremlin, he was joined by numerous guests from moscow.
At the beginning of the week, a former prime minister of russia from the times of Boris Yeltsin, Sergei Stepashin, came to Donetsk. The “head of the republic” told journalists that this statesman took part in developing measures “to divert water to the shallowed reservoirs”.
“The most acute problem in the DNR is water... We laid a line from the Don. But even together with internal sources, it only covers the population’s water needs by half. From this volume, we have to subtract water losses, which we are fighting daily. With the onset of heat, the situation has worsened, the main reservoirs feeding the republic have become shallow”, - Pushilin revealed the not-so-secret truth.
Russian Minister for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters Alexandr Kurenkov also did not remain indifferent to the water supply problem. He did not come to Donetsk, but invited the head of the “DNR” to visit him. “The issue of uninterrupted water supply to the settlements of the DNR remains among the top priorities”, - he assured.
Also in the well-off moscow, Denis Pushilin met with the russian Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services, Irek Fayzullin. “One of the topics discussed today during the meeting concerned improving the water supply in the region. The Ministry of Construction, as the coordinating agency, will provide the necessary assistance”, - the russian minister reassured.
Local journalists, primarily from media loyal to the occupation authorities, sensing that this topic could now be discussed without much fear, began clarifying exactly where the sources of life-giving moisture had dried up.
"Is Donbas becoming Africa? The large Volyntsevske reservoir in Yenakiieve has completely dried up due to lack of rainfall — that’s 12 million tons of water. After this, water supply disruptions began in the cities of the Yenakiieve agglomeration. In addition, the water in the Khanzhenkivske reservoir has dropped by four meters… The water reserve levels in the Verkhniokalmiusske, Makiivske, and Olkhovske reservoirs have fallen to a critical point, which is insufficient for industrial enterprises, agriculture, and providing for residents. To get out of the nearly critical situation, the government of the republic is taking all possible measures and deploying heavy machinery", - reported a segment on the "First Republican Channel", offering just a sliver of hope for improvement.
"Because without water…"
Meanwhile, the so-called grassroots sources of information were less tolerant and less optimistic, bursting out with comments about life without water. "You can’t flush the toilet. Common practice: Donetsk residents put a plastic bag in the toilet. And then those bags—those people who are normal—take them to the trash. Those who aren't—toss them under the windows", - quoted former people's deputy, now traitor to the Homeland, Oleh Tsariov, sharing one of the more popular laments.
"I don’t know how to comment on this without swearing. Donetsk, the city of roses, boulevards, avenues, is turning into some kind of village… An interesting 'coincidence': in the DNR they laid a water pipe from the Rostov oblast. Before it was connected, we had water once a day, in the afternoon. They connected it and suddenly it turns out: not enough rain, so now we’ll get water once every two days", - social media users fume.
Meanwhile, a photo of a secret document appeared online, from which it followed that “once every two days” was actually a blessing and the so-called comfort zone. Allegedly, Pushilin ordered the “DNR prime minister” Andrey Chertkov to change the water supply schedule for residents of Donetsk and Makiivka toward further reduction.
"Water once every three days? Will the DNR cut down the water supply in the midst of hellish heat? Rumors are circulating on social media that the water supply could switch to a schedule of once every 3 days (currently – once every 2 days). Moreover, water has started disappearing in those neighborhoods where it used to reach", - practically resigned to the inevitable say the "new russians" of occupied Donbas. Local propagandists, until the very last moment, did not confirm the authenticity of this document and even insisted it was fake.
"Some of my colleagues didn’t believe the DNR water supply schedule that I published. I would’ve preferred not to believe it either, but those in the know were predicting an even worse forecast for the summer — water once every five days. And my friends who live practically in the center of Donetsk haven’t seen water at all for four weeks now. And it’s not about the pressure not reaching their second floor — there’s no water even in the basement where they used to collect it. For them, getting tap water even once every three days would be happiness", - wrote Yulia Andrienko, who lives in moscow but calls herself a "Donetsk correspondent".
And so the dreams of “happiness” became reality — on July 18, a so-called "operational headquarters for water supply" made the decision to change the water delivery schedule. Chertkov, in his address to residents, emphasized that "this measure is forced, since the water reserve level in the region has dropped to a critical point, and the reservoirs have practically dried up. The measures taken will allow a more rational use of the existing resource". In "Water of Donbas" company it was immediately noted that "due to the redistribution of water supply and adjustment of levels, in the first days of the new schedule, disruptions in water delivery are possible". That is, there’s a chance that on the long-awaited third day, the tap still won’t run and you’ll have to wait another three days.
As a consolation prize, the residents of the “republic” received an informational message that the leader of the "DNR" Denis Pushilin held an emergency meeting on this pressing issue.
"Starting tomorrow, we begin clearing the riverbed of the Krynka River. At the same time, we’ll step up efforts to transfer water from reservoirs that still have supplies. This measure will help replenish the water levels in the dried-up reservoirs", - he once again promised to reduce the water deficit.
"There will be water: they have two weeks to fulfill the orders! The head of the DNR has tasked to increase water delivery and clear the riverbeds", - one of the separatist TV channels dutifully presented the promises as reality.
However, as it turned out, there are places in the “republic” where you can get a drink of water. At a meeting on yet another urgent issue — medical care — a “fateful decision” was made: in all hospitals, so that patients sitting for hours in queues wouldn’t die of thirst, coolers with free water were ordered to be installed. But that’s a whole other story...
By Yurii Bovkh, OstroV