One of the research vessels began drilling the bottom of the Sea of Azov near the temporarily occupied Crimea to explore freshwater resources, Russian media reported.
The presence of water has been confirmed by geological prospecting data, and its quality will be known by July 1.
Previously, scientists have suggested that under the Sea of Azov there are zones of the Don and Kuban ancient riverbeds, so there may be significant reserves of freshwater.
The authorities believe that from under the Sea of Azov it will be possible to extract up to 0.5-1.2 billion cubic meters of freshwater annually.
In April of this year, the Russian government allocated 70 million rubles for a geological exploration program in the Azov Sea.
Meanwhile, the "head" of occupied Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, announced that the acute phase with a water shortage in Crimea is over. "The difficult situation persists only in Alushta, where the water supply regime is in effect: two hours in the morning, three in the evening," he explained. It is planned to build two new reservoirs on the peninsula: one for the needs of Simferopol, another for Alushta. A desalination plant will also be built in the Yalta region. Aksenov promised that from June 1, Yalta residents will be able to receive water 24 hours a day (until May 1, the city received water for three hours in the morning and three in the evening).
Context. Until 2014, water was supplied to Crimea mainly from the Dnipro through the North Crimean Canal. It provided 85% of the freshwater needs of agriculture. In 2014, Ukraine blocked the locks of the North Crimean Canal. And in 2017, a dam was built in the Kherson region that h blocked the canal.
Russia from 20 to 24 April restricted flights over the part of Crimea and the Black Sea. The area has been declared temporarily dangerous for flights.
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