New oil spills caused by the collision of two Russian tankers on December 15 have been recorded in 14 locations in the Black Sea.
This was reported by Crimea.Realities, citing the press service of Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations.
"Incidents of localized spills of petroleum product fractions have been recorded in 14 work areas," the statement said.
It is noted that in the occupied Crimea, a total of 713 tons of polluted sand and soil have been collected, and 213 kilometers of coastline have been cleaned. In Sevastopol, 665 tons of contamination have been collected and removed.
On December 15, 2024, Russian tankers Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 collided in the Kerch Strait, spilling over 4,000 tons of oil into the Black Sea. Preliminary damage is estimated at $14 billion.
According to scientists, the oil spill from the Russian tankers' collision is the largest in the history of navigation in the Black Sea.
The Ministry of Ecology of Ukraine stated that the oil spill caused by the tanker collision will lead to the death of plankton, poisoning of fish, seabirds, and other living organisms, contamination of seabed sediments and coastal areas, which are habitats for marine flora and fauna, and disruption of food chains, resulting in long-term changes in the region's biodiversity. The ministry estimated that the ecological damage to the Black Sea ecosystem from the disaster amounts to over $14 billion.
