Oleg Davygora 01:22, 16.12.24 – UNIAN

The organization recalled that this region had already suffered from severe weather conditions, which led to the spill of 1.2 thousand tons of fuel oil from a single Russian tanker in 2007 near the Tuzla Peninsula

Russian militarization of the Black and Azov Seas is leading to a new environmental disaster, Greenpeace Ukraine said in a statement .

The organization said that 4,300 tons of fuel oil and possibly other petroleum products are spilling into the waters of the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black and Azov Seas, as a result of the accident of two Russian tankers that were caught in a storm.

It is noted that both Russian tankers were carrying fuel for the Russian fleet, and the ship’s location tracking system had been turned off for 12 days (tracking data from October 1 shows that the delivery route begins in Volgograd and ends in the Kerch Strait).

“Any spill of oil or petroleum products in these waters could have serious consequences. The spill is likely to be driven by the prevailing winds and currents, which are currently moving north-east, and in the current weather conditions it will be extremely difficult to contain. If the pollution washes ashore it will cause coastal contamination that will be extremely difficult to clean up. The environmental impact will depend on the type of oil spilled,” said Dr Paul Johnston, head of Greenpeace’s research laboratories at the University of Exeter in the UK.

According to him, heavy residual petroleum products like fuel oil tend to have a more noticeable impact, including on marine fauna. He added: 

“Given the potential for such a significant environmental impact, the focus should be on trying to minimize further spillage. If the ships sink, there is the potential for a long-term spill of oil and petroleum products.”

The organization recalled that this region had already suffered from severe weather conditions, which led to the spill of 1.2 thousand tons of fuel oil from a Russian tanker in 2007 near the Tuzla Peninsula. This led to serious damage that was observed even a year after the accident.  

“While Russian officials are unlikely to take measures to reduce environmental impact, we will continue to monitor the situation,” they added. 

Russian tanker accident in the Kerch Strait – details

A Russian oil tanker carrying thousands of tons of petroleum products broke apart in a severe storm on Sunday, spilling oil into the Kerch Strait, and another tanker was also damaged, Russian authorities said. At least one person died.

https://www.unian.ua/ecology/avariji-rosiyskih-tankeriv-u-kerchenskiy-protoci-z-yavilas-reakciya-grinpisu-12853545.html