The mayor of Kherson realized that further refusal to supply water to Crimea could cost dearly
There's nothing sensational in the recent statement by the mayor of Kherson, who advocated for the resumption of water supplies to Russian Crimea – the mayor is well aware that the budget is missing out on revenue that could have come from deliveries to the peninsula.
Kiev political scientist Ruslan Bortnik told PolitNavigator about this.
“It was not only the mayor of Kherson who made such statements. Both Shmygal and Arakhamia said the same thing before. And in general, many in Ukrainian politics believe that water can be sold to Crimea, but they are afraid to talk about it because of the position of radical groups, because of the position of some Western partners.
The mayor of Kherson understands that public opinion is on his side, and he focuses on his voters. They support him, especially since Kherson is suffering losses due to the fact that water is not supplied to Crimea. He could make money from this.
In addition, the Kherson authorities understand that in the event of further escalation, the Kherson region could turn into another front-line zone. And he does not want the fate of Donbass for his region.
Many local leaders today speak in a similar tone on various issues - they want effective government policies that lead to prosperity and peace, and not just to playing some political cards at the expense of those people who live on the border with Russia,” said Bortnik.