Kiev Sets Up Drinking Water Reservoirs in Avdiivka Amid Shortages

KIEV (Sputnik) — Ukrainian authorities have set up dozens of fresh water reservoirs in the eastern town of Avdiivka amid water supply disruptions caused by fighting between Kiev forces and eastern militias, Pavlo Zhebrivskyi, the governor of the Kiev-loyal Donetsk region administration, said Friday.

"Today, 63 drinking water reservoirs, each one cubic meter [264 US liquid gallons] in volume, have been set up in the city. People with special needs and the elderly are being supplied with bottled water," Zhebrivskyi said on his Facebook page.

Water supply in the war-torn parts of east Ukraine, including Avdiivka, was disrupted after fighting broke out in the vicinity of the Donetsk water filtration station (DFS). Special representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine Martin Sajdik on Thursday stated that the sides of the conflict had agreed to halt the fighting and enable safe and secure access for filter station staff as well as clearing the area of mines.

The DFS is located on neural land along the line of contact between the warring sides some seven miles from Donetsk. The station supplies water to a number of towns and cities on both sides of the contact line and regularly suffers from fighting during ceasefire violations.

The situation in east Ukraine worsened at the end of January when fighting between local militias and the Ukrainian military intensified in the towns of Avdiivka and Yasynuvata.