The accident of Russian tankers in the Sea of Azov resulted in serious pollution of beaches on the Russian coast in Anapa and Vityazevo.
Points of attention
- Satellite images expose the severe pollution of beaches in Anapa and Vityazevo following the Russian tanker accident in the Sea of Azov.
- The oil spill has led to significant fuel oil stains and contaminated bags on the Russian coast, affecting the local fauna and environment.
- Despite the increased fuel oil contamination in the Kuban region, Ukraine faces challenges in assessing the pollution level due to restricted access to the affected territories.
What oil pollution on Russian beaches from tanker accidents looks like
On the beaches, you may notice fuel oil stains and bags used to collect oil waste.
Satellite images taken in January 2024 and December 20, 2024 are also shown for comparison.
As the publication's journalists note, fuel oil is seeping through plastic bags back into the sand because the bags are not being removed in time.
At the same time, the area of fuel oil contamination in the Kuban after the accident of two tankers in the Kerch Strait increased to 54 kilometers.
What consequences will the accident of Russian tankers in the Sea of Azov have for Ukraine?
According to Dmitry Volovik, director of the Azov Sea National Nature Park, a large-scale oil spill occurred in the Sea of Azov after the accident of the Russian tankers Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239.
Volovyk noted that as a result of the accident, part of the coast in the Zaporizhia region was polluted, in particular, the Azov National Natural Park.
According to him, it is currently not possible to accurately determine the level of pollution in the Sea of Azov and coastal soils due to the fact that Ukraine does not have access to the territories occupied by Russia.
However, Volovyk emphasized that it is the local fauna that will obviously suffer the most from the oil spill.
Volovyk also noted that the authorities of the aggressor country are not taking any measures after the tanker accident and oil spill.
