Russia Launches Emergency Task Force as Oil Spill in Kerch Strait Worsens

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An emergency task force has been deployed to the Krasnodar region in southern Russia following a significant oil spill in the Kerch Strait that has continued to expand since its initial detection a month ago. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the enhanced response to what he described as "one of the most serious environmental challenges we have faced in recent years."

The situation is particularly dire near the port of Taman, where fuel oil continues to leak from the Volgoneft-239 tanker, which was damaged during a storm. Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov stated that efforts are underway to pump the remaining oil from the vessel. To date, over 155,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil have been collected from the area.

The oil spill has not only affected the immediate vicinity but has also reached as far as the Berdyansk Spit, approximately 145 kilometers from the Kerch Strait, contaminating a stretch of coastline. Regional authorities in Crimea have also reported oil reaching Sevastopol's shores, further exacerbating the environmental crisis.

In response to the magnitude of the disaster, Ukrainian officials have criticized Russia for its delayed action. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the Ukrainian president, called for additional sanctions against Russian tanker operations. The Kerch Strait is critical for global shipping, linking the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea, and remains a contentious area following the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia.

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