Crimea Announces End of Energy Blockade Arranged by Kiev

SIMFEROPOL (Sputnik) - The reconstruction of blown up transmission towers in the Kherson region put an end to the last remaining blockade arranged by the Kiev authorities in relation to Crimea, Oleg Kryuchkov, an adviser to the head of the republic on information policy, said.

Power lines connecting Crimea and Ukraine were damaged in 2015, when Ukrainian radicals blew up transmission towers in the Kherson region, close to the border with Crimea. On Friday, power line reconstruction kicked off to connect the Russian, Kherson and Zaporozhye electric systems.

"Thanks to the special operation, our army and the work of the federal ministries, Crimea has overcome the water, food, transport blockades arranged by the Kiev regime, and now the latest energy blockade. Crimea is getting water through the unblocked North Crimean Canal, trade and transport links with the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions have been restored, and the energy system has been looped. Everything is coming back to normal," Kryuchkov said.

Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014, after a referendum determined that over 96 percent of the peninsula's voters were in favor of reunification.

The Kherson Region and most of Zaporozhye Region of Ukraine are now controlled by Russia's military as a result of Moscow’s special operation that began on February 24, after the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics requested help from Russia amid intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.

Local military-civilian administrations have already been formed in the two regions, the broadcasting of Russian TV channels and radio stations has been launched, and trade ties with Crimea are being restored. Both regions have announced plans to hold referendums for accession to Russia.