A major environmental disaster is unfolding in the Black Sea following an oil spill caused by a severe storm on December 15, which damaged two tankers in the Kerch Strait, near Crimea. The region, under Russian administration, has declared a state of emergency as cleanup efforts continue.
The incident involved one tanker sinking and another running aground, spilling an estimated 40% of the 9,200 tonnes of fuel oil they were carrying. Thousands of volunteers have joined cleanup operations, but experts have raised concerns about the adequacy of the response.
“The situation is truly critical,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated in a press release. “Specialists are working continuously, but it is still impossible to fully assess the extent of the environmental damage.”
Crimea’s governor, Sergei Aksionov, announced the state of emergency via Telegram, citing the significant impact of the spill on the Kerch Strait, a key waterway between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
While Russia’s transport ministry reported on Saturday that all identified polluted areas have been cleaned with no new contamination detected, emergency situations minister Alexander Kurenkov expressed caution. “The risk of additional fuel oil leaks from the damaged tankers and coastal spills remains a concern,” he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the spill as an “ecological disaster” earlier this month, underscoring the severity of the crisis. Environmental specialists are urging heightened measures to contain and mitigate the long-term impact on marine life and coastal ecosystems.