While Russian media were busy disseminating fake stories claiming that Ukraine had deliberately cut off water supplies to the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) in the east of the country, Ukraine repaired the damaged pumping station that was the cause of the water shutoff.
Russian media cited the Luhansk water utility Luhanskvoda who announced on March 11 that water supplied from a regional pumping station located on free Ukrainian territory, suddenly stopped without any notice. Lenta.ru reported that “Ukrainian authorities threatened to shut off water supplies because of unpaid bills” and a local separatist site Novorossia news, declared that Ukraine was “conducting genocide against civilians”.
Russia Today, Russia’s Defense Ministry television channel Zvezda, Lenta,ru. RIA Novosti, NTV, REN-TV, TVC and other Russian media all ran stories claiming that Ukraine intentionally cut water supplies to the Luhansk occupied territories.
Ukrainian authorities announced on March 11 that a regional pumping station was damaged by separatist shelling and water supplies to the Luhansk area would be limited. Repairs were underway to resume service. By evening the repairs were complete and normal water supply to the area resumed.
