Russia has raised concerns over a major oil spill in the Black Sea after two tankers collided during a storm near occupied Crimea. The incident, which took place on Dec. 15 in the Kerch Strait, led to one tanker sinking and another running aground.
Russia has declared a federal state of emergency on Dec. 26.
Authorities estimate the tankers were carrying 9,200 tons of fuel oil, of which approximately 40% potentially leaked into the sea. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the crisis as "truly critical" and acknowledged the challenges in assessing the full scope of environmental damage.
"It is unfortunately impossible to calculate for the moment the extent of the environmental damage but specialists are working regularly on it," Peskov reportedly said, according to Russian media.
President Vladimir Putin, earlier this month, referred to the spill as an "ecological disaster."
Thousands of volunteers have joined the clean-up effort, though some Russian scientists have criticized the response as inadequate. Russia’s transport ministry announced on Dec. 28 that all affected areas had been cleaned, and no further pollution had been detected. However, Russian Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov cautioned that the risk of additional leaks persists.
In October, the Kyiv School of Economics Institute warned that Russia's "shadow fleet" of old and poorly insured tankers poses significant environmental risks, as these vessels increase the danger of oil spills.
Dmytro Basmat
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