The Russian tanker accident: the consequences of environmental pollution

Photo:Russian social media

Following the accident of oil tankers Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 in the Kerch Strait, a large-scale release of oil products has been observed on the coast of Krasnodar Krai. This was announced by the governor of the region, Veniamin Kondratiev.

The main consequences of the accident

1. Coastal pollution

• Fuel oil stains were found on dozens of kilometres of coastline: from the village of Veselovka to the village of Blagoveshchenskaya near Anapa.
• Residents of the village of Khvylya reported birds completely covered in fuel oil, indicating a significant level of pollution.

1. Emergency measures

• Operational headquarters have been set up in two municipalities to deal with the consequences.
• The site is staffed by 267 specialists and 50 pieces of equipment from Kuban-SPAS, the Russian Emergencies Ministry and volunteers.
• The governor declared his readiness to increase resources to overcome the disaster.

1. Inspection by the prosecutor’s office

• The Azov-Black Sea Environmental Protection Prosecutor’ s Office has launched an investigation into the pollution of the coastal strip with fuel oil.

Greenpeace’s position

Greenpeace experts have warned that the oil spill in the Kerch Strait poses a threat of environmental disaster. The pollution of water and the coastline could have long-term consequences for marine life.

• The Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 tankers sank several kilometres offshore.
• The scale of the pollution is due to a significant leakage of fuel oil and other oil products.

Possible consequences

1. Animal deaths: fuel oil is dangerous for birds and marine animals, as it disrupts the functioning of their bodies.
2. Pollution of the Black Sea ecosystem: oil products can spread, causing long-term damage to water resources.
3. Economic losses: pollution of the coastline could have a negative impact on the tourism industry in the Krasnodar Region.

Further actions

• Work continues to clean the coast and water from oil products.
• Environmental organisations continue to monitor the situation to assess the environmental damage.
• Local residents and volunteers help rescue the injured animals.

The environmental situation remains tense, and addressing the consequences of the accident will require significant resources and time.