An oil spill in the Kerch Strait continues to spread, a month after it was first detected. The incident originated from two storm-stricken tankers in the strait, which separates the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from the Krasnodar region. The spill has now contaminated an area stretching 14.5 kilometers (9 miles), raising significant environmental concerns.
Since the initial detection, over 155,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil have been collected in an urgent response to the disaster. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described this spill as "one of the most serious environmental challenges we have faced in recent years." He has called on authorities to intensify efforts to manage the situation effectively.
In response to the growing crisis, an emergency task force has been established, led by Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov. The task force aims to address the ongoing environmental impact of the spill and coordinate cleanup efforts. According to Kurenkov, plans are underway to pump the remaining oil out of the damaged tanker's stern.
The situation has become particularly critical near the port of Taman in the Krasnodar region, where fuel oil continues to leak from the damaged Volgoneft-239 tanker. This ongoing leakage poses further risks to marine life and local ecosystems. The spill has now reached the Berdyansk Spit, approximately 145 kilometers (90 miles) north of the Kerch Strait.
The Kerch Strait serves as a vital global shipping route, facilitating passage between the inland Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. The contamination of this route raises concerns about broader implications for international shipping and trade.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, characterized the spill as a "large-scale environmental disaster." This sentiment is echoed by Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi, who accused Russian authorities of downplaying the severity of the situation. He stated that Russia is "beginning to demonstrate its alleged 'concern' only after the scale of the disaster became too obvious to conceal its terrible consequences."
