Ukraine plans to apply to international judicial institutions, in particular the International Court of Justice of the United Nations, with a lawsuit against Russia for violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The subject of the lawsuit is environmental damage caused by the accidents of the tankers Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239" in the Black Sea. The incidents resulted in the death of marine organisms, pollution of waters, bottom sediments and coastal areas of the occupied territory.

About this Social CrimeaFirst Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Olena Kramarenko told.

She noted that the lawsuit will include several key aspects:

- Violation of international obligations. Russia, as a party to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, must prevent pollution of the marine environment, in particular by responding effectively to emergencies. Insufficient elimination of the consequences of these accidents can be considered a violation of international norms.

- Compensation for environmental damage. The lawsuit will present evidence of damage to the marine environment, including pollution of water areas, decreased biodiversity and accumulation of toxic substances in bottom sediments.

- Attracting international attention. Ukraine aims to set a precedent for strengthening accountability for environmental crimes by raising international awareness of violations by Russia.

In addition to judicial actions, Ukraine has stepped up efforts in other international mechanisms:

- Convention for the Protection of the Black Sea from Pollution. Ukraine initiated an urgent meeting of the commission to discuss the situation, filed a statement on violations of environmental standards and called for an independent examination of the state of water, bottom sediments and the marine ecosystem.

- UN and UNEP. Through the UN Environment Programme, Ukraine announced the scale of the disaster and sought technical and expert assistance.

- UNESCO. It is proposed to create an international mission to assess environmental damage and coordinate measures to restore the marine ecosystem.

- International Maritime Organization (IMO). A request has been made to investigate incidents in accordance with the MARPOL Convention on the Prevention of Pollution by Ships.

On December 15, two Russian ships “Volgoneft 212" and “Volgoneft 239" were reportedly sunk near the Kerch Strait. Previously, the cause of the incident was a storm and damage to tankers due to bad weather. The accident led to the leakage of more than 4 thousand tons of fuel oil into the sea.