Russia's policies have caused severe soil salinization in Crimea

The occupying administration is pumping out groundwater in Crimea due to a shortage of resources and the drying up of reservoirs. This is leading to critical soil salinization and the gradual transformation of the peninsula’s land into salt flats.

This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate. 

Occupied Crimea continues to lose strategic freshwater resources. It is noted that in early October 2026, the average fill level of the peninsula’s reservoirs was approximately 45%. Natural runoff reservoirs have accumulated 148.4 million cubic meters of water; however, it is being consumed more than three times faster than it is being replenished. About 138,000 cubic meters flow into them daily, while consumption reaches 455,000 cubic meters.

The situation is also difficult for the artificial reservoirs, whose reserves have decreased by 10% over the past month. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Mizhhiria Reservoir is filled to only 0.2% of its design capacity.

It is noted that after the Russians blew up the dam at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant in June 2023, the North Crimean Canal lost its main source of water. The main section and the northern branch leading to Dzhankoy remain empty, while the invaders are using the eastern branch to transfer water from artesian wells to Feodosia and Kerch. Since the canal is designed for significantly larger volumes, up to 40–45% of the water is lost through evaporation and filtration during transport.

To compensate for the shortfall, the occupiers have increased extraction from underground sources. As of early October, 19.6 million cubic meters of water had been pumped from the Nizhyn, Prostornensk, and Novohryhorivsk water intake facilities. Intensive pumping lowers the level of aquifers and causes saltwater to seep into freshwater reservoirs, especially in coastal areas. Excessive mineralization is damaging municipal water systems, depleting the fertility of agricultural land, and leading to the desertification of the Crimean territory.

The most critical situation has developed in the east of the peninsula, where the occupying authorities have imposed strict water conservation measures and restricted water supply to industry and recreational facilities. Some settlements there depend on water deliveries by tanker trucks.

Юлія Калабайда