Russia has elevated its response to the Black Sea oil spill to a federal emergency, following the December 15 sinking of two tankers - the Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 - in the Kerch Strait 
. The disaster released between 4,600 and 9,200 tons of oil into the sea, with approximately one-third of the total cargo spilling into the water 
. Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov announced the federal emergency declaration during a visit to Anapa, emphasizing that only 15% of the cleanup work has been completed 
.
The scale of the response has grown significantly, with over 10,000 people and 360 pieces of equipment now deployed 
. Teams have collected approximately 30,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil, with 23,500 tons already transported to disposal sites 
. The cleanup operation covers 220 kilometers of coastline, divided into five sectors - one in Temryuk and four in Anapa . Rescue workers are conducting the cleanup manually, loading contaminated soil into bags for transport to disposal facilities 
.
Environmental experts warn that full remediation of the Black Sea, its bottom, and the coastal area could take up to 10 years . The disaster has prompted the establishment of a regional crisis management center, headed by regional governor's first deputy Igor Galasy . Volunteers have rescued 1,154 birds affected by the spill , while some oil continues to settle on the sea floor .
Russia has elevated its response to the Black Sea oil spill to a federal emergency, following the December 15 sinking of two tankers - the Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 - in the Kerch Strait . The disaster released between 4,600 and 9,200 tons of oil into the sea, with approximately one-third of the total cargo spilling into the water . Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov announced the federal emergency declaration during a visit to Anapa, emphasizing that only 15% of the cleanup work has been completed .
The scale of the response has grown significantly, with over 10,000 people and 360 pieces of equipment now deployed . Teams have collected approximately 30,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil, with 23,500 tons already transported to disposal sites . The cleanup operation covers 220 kilometers of coastline, divided into five sectors - one in Temryuk and four in Anapa . Rescue workers are conducting the cleanup manually, loading contaminated soil into bags for transport to disposal facilities .
Environmental experts warn that full remediation of the Black Sea, its bottom, and the coastal area could take up to 10 years . The disaster has prompted the establishment of a regional crisis management center, headed by regional governor's first deputy Igor Galasy . Volunteers have rescued 1,154 birds affected by the spill , while some oil continues to settle on the sea floor .
✅Neutral reporting,
based on 39 🗞 sources
