It wasn’t instantly clear who destroyed the main electrical pylons on Friday. They are calling for a full economic and energy blockade.
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Mustafa Dzhemilev, a senior Crimean Tatar politician, said the process of restoring power to Crimea could start only after “political prisoners” on the peninsula were released.
Crimean Tatar activists suggested that the weakened pylons were blown down by the wind.
“Unfortunately, we must inform our residents that, most likely, this period will stretch on for a while”, Sergey Askyonov, the Crimean leader said.
Pavel Rebrov / ReutersA customer visits a grocery lit with candles due to a power cut, in Simferopol, Crimea, November 22, 2015.
The head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, declared Monday a non-working day because of the emergency situation in the republic. A few towns including Yevpatoria have shut off hot water service completely during daylight hours.
The Russian parliament voted overwhelmingly in March 2014 to annex the largely Russian speaking territory, just weeks after pro-Western Ukrainian protests in Kyiv forced Russia-leaning President Viktor Yanukovych from office.
Almost two million people on the Crimean Peninsula have been left without electricity after two transmission towers in Ukraine were blown up in what appears to be sabotage.
The United States and its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies have backed Ukraine diplomatically and have denounced what they see as Russia’s intervention to support the rebels and prolong the destabilizing conflict.
There were several signs in recent weeks that a further escalation in Ukraine was being prepared.
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. We won’t let anyone speak to us in the language of blackmail and force.
As its former Soviet master, Russian Federation strictly opposes Kiev’s move to the West, trying to keep it in its orbit as Moscow says Ukraine’s free trade agreement with the European Union would threaten its economy.
“Today or tomorrow gas deliveries will be stopped because of lack of advance payment”, said Novak, saying Ukraine was in any case using very little Russian gas. The blackout is part of the policy coordinated with the Kiev authorities.
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The Ukrainian government responded Monday by imposing a temporary ban on trucks ferrying goods to and from Crimea.
