The report states that representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church’s humanitarian mission in the city deliver bottled water daily to local residents.
According to Ihor Kulikov, head of the ROC’s social service department, the situation is made worse by reduced water supply in Donetsk, where water for technical use is provided only once every three days. He said that even after filtration, such water remains unsafe to drink.
Former “DNR Minister of Construction and Housing and Communal Services” Serhiy Naumets said the so-called authorities in occupied Donetsk have turned a blind eye to the problem. He also criticized the self-proclaimed “DNR” leader, Denys Pushylin.
“Why aren’t they solving this problem at the appropriate level? Probably because it’s boring to them. It’s a long, meticulous, difficult, dirty job — there’s no quick PR or fast career growth to be had,” the ex-minister said.
Ukrainian journalist Denys Kazansky identified three key reasons behind the current water crisis: Russia’s disregard for the needs of the local population, the destruction of water infrastructure due to combat, and the drying up of reservoirs.
He emphasized that the “technical water” being supplied to Donetsk residents contains dangerously high levels of sand and harmful substances, making it unsafe for consumption.
“The irony is that for three years, Russia struck Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, hoping to create a humanitarian catastrophe but failed to do so. Instead, it has created one in Donbas — without even needing to shell the water supply,” Kazansky added.
Former head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Haidai said that occupying forces improperly shut down several mines in the temporarily occupied territories.
He warned that such actions could poison the groundwater in Donetsk.
Meanwhile, “DNR leader” Pushilin said that about 75 water tankers were delivered from Moscow to the Russian-occupied parts of Donetsk Oblast on the orders of Vladimir Putin.
The “DNR” authorities claim that work is ongoing to pump water from reservoirs, clean riverbeds of debris, and dredge dried-up reservoirs. According to the occupiers, this should “improve water quality and increase inflow into bodies of water.”
Despite those efforts, the Telegram channel Astra reported that residents in the occupied eastern territories of Ukraine continue to complain about the poor quality of tap water — supplied once every three days — and long lines at water tankers.
The Mariupol City Council stated that during the siege of the city, Russian forces deliberately destroyed critical infrastructure, including the water supply system. The issue was ignored, turning into a full-scale humanitarian crisis affecting Mariupol and the entire occupied part of Donetsk Oblast.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Mariupol received water from two main sources: the Siverskyi Donets–Donbas canal and the Staryi Krym reservoir. After the pipelines were destroyed, the occupiers made no effort to restore infrastructure, the city council said, leading to a state of total depletion.
Petro Andriushchenko, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, said the situation in Makiivka is no better. There, residents must line up for water delivered by just a few barrels for hundreds of households. Locals have reported dire conditions, and one elderly woman was hospitalized due to a lack of water, Andriushchenko wrote.
He added that in Donetsk’s Kuibyshevskyi district, the upper floors of apartment buildings have been without water for a month, while on lower floors, water is available once every three days.
Earlier, collaborator Oleh Tsaryov also complained about the conditions, describing how residents are forced to relieve themselves in plastic bags, many of which are thrown out of windows.
Kazansky reminded Tsaryov of Donetsk’s state prior to 2014.
“What happened to Donetsk after 2014, Tsaryov? Why was it a city of roses before 2014, and now it’s a city of poop bags?” the journalist wrote.
In addition, residents of occupied Donbas recorded a video appeal in which children ask Putin for water. In the video, which features more than ten children, they describe the hardships caused by the water crisis in the occupied territories. Their messages include: “Give us the simplest miracle — water!” and “Water has become a luxury for us. Uncle Vova, help!”
Russia has repeatedly restricted water supplies to occupied Donetsk. In January 2024, snow became the only water source for residents of several city neighborhoods.