December 28, 2024 - An ecological disaster unfolded in the Black Sea on December 15, impacting the municipalities of Kerch and Leninki. A decree signed by Sergey Aksyonov, the head of the self-proclaimed Republic of Crimea, has mobilized military personnel and equipment to assist in addressing the aftermath of a significant fuel spill.
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, described the situation as critically severe, emphasizing that negative environmental consequences are unavoidable. In the Krasnodar region alone, authorities have removed 34,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil.
Russian officials have warned that up to 200,000 tons of coastal soil along the Black Sea could be affected by pollution. President Vladimir Putin labeled the incident a “ecological disaster,” demanding urgent measures to prevent further contamination in the impacted areas.
Approximately 40% of the fuel carried by the stricken tankers, estimated at 9,200 tons, has been released into the sea. The tankers 'Volgoneft 212' and 'Volgoneft 239,' both over 50 years old and originally designed for river navigation, sank during a storm near the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov. The first vessel broke apart about 7-8 kilometers from the coast, while the second drifted for several hours before grounding approximately 80 meters from the Krasnodar shore, a popular destination for Russian vacationers.