The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine reported significant pollution of the Black Sea waters after the accident of the Russian tankers Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 on 15 December 2024 in the Kerch Strait. During the storm, a significant amount of fuel oil was released into the sea, causing a large-scale spread of oil products in the region.
Read also: Fuel oil disaster in the Black Sea: consequences for the Crimean coast
According to UkrSCEM, Sentinel-1 satellite imagery confirmed the spread of fuel oil along the southern and south-western coast of Crimea, particularly in the areas of Sevastopol and Kacha. The length of the fuel oil slicks is up to 15 km, and the total area of contamination is estimated at 1,000 km². A forecast of the spread of the pollution, developed using the NOAA GNOME system, indicates that the fuel oil may drift to the north-east, which could affect the coast from Cape Panagia to Anapa.
Nevertheless, the coast of Odesa region remains out of danger as of 8 January 2025. However, environmental services conduct regular monitoring to respond to any changes in the situation in a timely manner. Together with UkrNCEP, the Ministry of Ecology analyses satellite images and modelling results to control the spread of pollution and develop strategies to minimise its effects.
Read also: Large-scale fuel oil leak detected in the Kerch Strait: risks to the environment and marine life
The State Ecological Inspectorate of the South-Western District monitors the state of the waters and coastline of Odesa and Mykolaiv regions on a daily basis. It has also initiated an appeal to local administrations with a proposal to hold extraordinary meetings of the emergency response commissions to plan measures to localise and eliminate the possible consequences of the pollution.
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