Minister: More than 5 million people in Ukraine without access to drinking water due to Russia's war

Nearly five million Ukrainians do not have access to drinking water as a result of Russia's war, Ruslan Strilets, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine said during the UN Water for Sustainable Development Conference 2023 in New York on March 24.

According to Strilets, around 70% of Ukraine's population is at risk of being without water as the country's water infrastructure is damaged or destroyed in Russia's constant attacks.

Strilets also warned of a possible nuclear disaster as the release of water from the Kakhkovka Reservoir threatens to disrupt the cooling systems at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, occupied by Russia since last March.

"This would mean a possible Fukushima scenario in the middle of the European continent because of Russia," Strilets said.

European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and 49 countries demanded that Russia leave the plant in a joint appeal to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

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The Kyiv Independent