SIMFEROPOL (Crimea) (Sputnik) – Crimea was left without electricity last week after Ukrainian nationalists blew up pylons that support electricity lines from Ukraine. Following the electricity blackout, Crimea declared a state of emergency and switched to locally-based emergency power generation.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the launch of the first leg of an "energy bridge" between Russia’s mainland and Crimea.
"I think that, most likely, in view of the incoming power, the state of emergency will be lifted in the coming days," Sheremet told RIA Novosti.
He added that power cuts will be minimized in the coming days and heating will be restored.
According to Sheremet, Crimea does not expect to receive power from Ukraine as the situation there is unstable and there can be no guarantees of electricity supplies.
Kiev claims that "activists" have been obstructing repair works of the damaged electricity lines. Ukraine’s radical Right Sector organization pledged on Monday to continue its energy blockade of Crimea.
According to Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak, Moscow could respond to the Crimea blackout by halting coal deliveries to Ukraine.
