As of January 6, fuel oil contamination due to the flooding of two Russian tankers near the Kerch Strait spread near Feodosia over an area of about two square kilometers.

This was reported in the press service of the Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, reports Social Crimea.

They noted that Sentinel-1 satellite monitoring, which was carried out on January 4, recorded pollution in the form of oil product stains with an area of about two square kilometers near Feodosia and 0.25 - near Cape Taquil. Probable traces of contamination were also found between Partenite and Sudak.

“On January 5, satellite images confirmed a significant spread of fuel oil along the southern coast of Crimea. Near m. Sevastopol and m. Oil stains up to 15 km long were recorded in Kacha, the total area of the polluted water area was about 1000 square kilometers,” the report said.

During this period, the media reported bird contamination in the areas of Laspi, Balaklava Bay of Sevastopol, Evpatoria, Koktebel, Alushta and Gurzuf. In addition, 61 dolphins died.

“Pollution has also been regularly observed on the Caucasian coast, from Cape Panagia to Anapa. In these areas, fuel oil emissions have been recorded, which can be associated with both the tanker accident and the redistribution of previously released fuel oil. The main pollution of the coast and seawater is currently caused by the redistribution of fuel oil that got into the water during the accident, influenced by currents and winds. A significant amount of fuel oil reached the southern and southwestern coast of Crimea, creating a serious threat to the ecosystem of the region,” the ministry said.

In the morning of December 15, two Russian ships “Volgoneft 212” and “Volgoneft 239” began to sink near the Kerch Strait. The accident led to the leakage of more than 4 thousand tons of fuel oil into the sea. The Ministry of Environment said that the fuel oil leak caused by the accident of two Russian tankers Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239" on December 15 threatens “catastrophic consequences” for the Black Sea ecosystem.