Ukraine Temporarily Cuts off Electricity Supplies for Crimea

Ukraine temporarily cut off power supplies to Crimea on Wednesday after the Russian-annexed peninsula failed to curb consumption as required due to a power crisis, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry said.

"Today electricity supplies to Crimea were shut off … just as would be done to any region of Ukraine," a ministry representative told Reuters by phone. "Supplies will be restored as soon as they implement the set consumption regime."

Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn subsequently told a government meeting that supplies had resumed to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in March, but still depends on Ukraine for power supplies.

According to Russia's wire service TASS, during peak consumption, the peninsula gets between 70 and 90% of its electricity supplies from Ukraine.

Crimea's leader Sergey Aksyonov earlier said Russia signed a contract with Ukraine on electric power transit to Crimea on Monday. “The contract will guarantee uninterrupted electric power supply to Crimea from Ukraine,” Aksyonov said.

He expressed hope that the contract terms would be fulfilled in full. “No power cuts are being planned. Payments to Ukraine are made in full,” Aksyonov said.

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