Crimea reports oil spills on beaches and waterfowl deaths, media says

This was reported by the Crimea Realities project, citing an unnamed local historian, according to Ukrinform.

According to the local historian, the problem began to manifest itself in the third week of February.

"Strong storms stirred up the bottom waters, and fuel oil... began to rise to the surface. At a meeting of colleagues on the occasion of Tour Guide Day, we touched on the topic of fuel oil pollution, and the tour guides noted that many had seen the spills and dead birds, but the management had instructed them not to raise the issue. All volunteer stations for cleaning beaches and rescuing affected birds in Crimea have been frozen. It is obvious that the authorities have chosen a strategy of silence on this issue so as not to harm the future resort season," he said.

As reported by Ukrinform, on December 15, 2024, two Russian oil tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, sank near the coast in the Kerch Strait. The accident was caused by a severe storm. More than 4,000 tons of fuel oil spilled into the Black Sea.

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