Tatars loyal to Kiev and other pro-Ukrainian activists have been enforcing an unofficial blockade between mainland Ukraine and the peninsula since September in an effort to amplify their unhappiness with Russia’s annexation.
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The spokesman added that Berlin expected power to be quickly restored in the Black Sea peninsula.
A video report by Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR shows Ukrainian police and soldiers donning kevlar and helmets, and armed with Kalashnikovs, shoving and arguing with the crowd of activists. Despite the Russian rule, the region still relies on Ukraine for supplies of water and electricity.
The four trunk lines running from Ukraine to Crimea were all damaged, and two districts in the Ukrainian region of Kherson were also without electricity, Volodymyr Demchyshyn, the energy minister of Ukraine, said in a statement.
“Kiev’s actions against Crimea are an attempt to raise the temperature of the conflict with Russian Federation and return the West’s attention to Ukraine, without which the regime will fall”, said Alexei Pushkov, head of the worldwide affairs committee in Russia’s lower house of parliament, according to the official RIA news agency.
Crimea remains heavily dependent on mainland Ukraine for electricity, gas and food, despite being under Moscow’s control.
Mikhail Sheremet, the first deputy premier of Crimea, said the peninsula could only supply half its power needs at most using diesel generators and renewable sources such as wind and solar power, the Tass state news agency reported.
Ukrainian authorities said that activists blocked the site when they tried to fix the damaged pylons.
The Moscow-leaning administration of Crimea declared Monday work-free in face of the power outage.
Ukraine’s Border Guard Service, in response to Kiva’s comments, reported they saw no approach of Russian troops or equipment on the border. They said on Monday that talks to restore power can resume after Russian Federation releases political prisoners. Early on Sunday another explosion cut all power supply to Crimea.
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The blackout ensured Crimea – seized from Ukraine by Russian troops a year ago – is again in the headlines as Vladimir Putin seeks closer ties with the West to fight jihadists in Syria.
