KIEV, Oct. 23 – Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn said he opposes disconnecting Crimea from the power grid as proposed by a petition on the Ukrainian president's website.

"I personally do not support the position to disconnect [Crimea from power]. I think that everything should be resolved during talks," he said at a briefing in Kiev on Thursday.

Demchyshyn said that if a decision is made to disconnect the peninsula is made it could be implemented within five minutes.