Russia-appointed officials in Moscow-occupied Crimea have declared a regional emergency after oil was discovered on the shores of Sevastopol, the largest city on the peninsula. The oil spill originated from two tankers that were hit by storms in the Kerch Strait, located approximately 250 kilometers from Sevastopol in eastern Crimea.
The regional governor announced the emergency regime in Sevastopol, stating that oil was found on four beaches in the region but was promptly cleaned up by local authorities and volunteers. He emphasized that there is no widespread pollution along the coastline in Sevastopol.
Authorities in Russia's Krasnodar region had previously declared a region-wide emergency as the fuel oil continued to wash up on the coastline even 10 days after the incident. Over 5,000 individuals are involved in the cleanup efforts, with more than 86,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil already removed from the shoreline.
The spill, which occurred on December 15, has led to an estimated contamination of up to 200,000 tons of mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product. Russian President Vladimir Putin has labeled the oil spill as an 'ecological disaster.'
The Kerch Strait, a vital global shipping route that connects the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea, has been a point of contention between Russia and Ukraine since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine accused Russia of illegally seizing control of the area and took the matter to the Permanent Court of Arbitration. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months.
A representative from the Ukrainian President's office described the oil spill as a 'large-scale environmental disaster' and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers involved in the incident.
