Emergency Declared in Crimea Following Oil Spill Disasters

RURussian Federation|

Authorities in Crimea have declared a regional emergency after fuel oil from two storm-damaged tankers began washing ashore near the city of Sevastopol. The announcement, made by regional Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev via Telegram, follows the detection of oil on four local beaches, which has since been addressed by cleanup efforts involving both local authorities and volunteers.

The oil spill occurred nearly three weeks ago in the Kerch Strait when two tankers were struck by severe weather. Affected areas have reported the removal of approximately 86,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil from the shoreline. Krasnodar region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev revealed that more than 5,000 personnel are engaged in cleanup operations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the incident as an “ecological disaster.” He noted that up to 200,000 tons of mazut, a low-quality fuel oil, could be found in the affected area, amplifying concerns about environmental damage.

The Kerch Strait is a significant global shipping route, and the situation has drawn international attention, with Ukrainian officials labeling it a large-scale ecological crisis and calling for sanctions against Russian tankers.

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