Ukraine temporarily cuts off power supplies of Crimea

Ukraine temporarily cut off power supplies to Crimea on Wednesday after the Russian-controlled peninsula failed to curb consumption as required due to a power crisis, the Ukrainian energy ministry said.

"Today electricity supplies to Crimea were shut off, just as would be done to any region of Ukraine," a ministry representative told Reuters by phone. "Supplies will be restored as soon as they implement the set consumption regime."

Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn subsequently told a government meeting supplies had resumed to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in March, but still depends on Ukraine for power supplies.