#Russia suffering '#EnvironmentalCatastrophe' after #OilSpill in #KerchStrait

Joshua Cheetham, Olga Robinson & Matt Murphy, January 23, 2025

"Satellite images reviewed by BBC Verify have shown a major oil slick spreading across the Kerch Strait that separates Russia from annexed #Crimea, a month after two oil tankers were badly damaged in the #BlackSea.

"Oil has leaked into the strait from two ships which ran into trouble during bad weather on 15 December. Volgoneft-239 ran aground following the storm, while Volgoneft-212 sank.

​​"Up to 5,000 tonnes of oil has now leaked, and media reports and official statements analysed by BBC Verify suggest the spill has spread across the Black Sea and the #SeaOfAzov.

"A senior Russian scientist called the spill the country's worst '#EnvironmentalCatastrophe' of the 21st Century.

"'This is the first time fuel oil has been spilled in such quantities,' Viktor Danilov-Danilyan - the head of science at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) - said in a 17 January interview with a Russian newspaper.

"Russian scientists said in December that this spill could be more than twice the size of a similar disaster in the strait in 2007, which saw up to 1,600 tonnes of #HeavyOil leak into the sea. #Ukraine's ministry of #ecology has estimated that the clear up from the latest spill could cost the Russian state up to $14bn (£11.4bn).

"#PaulJohnston, a scientist at #GreenpeaceResearchLaboratories, said 'there's always an element of uncertainty around oil spills', but a lack of timely information has heightened this uncertainty further.

"'I'm not entirely optimistic we'll ever know the full extent of the problem,' he added.

"Satellite images reviewed by #BBCVerify on 10 January - the most recent available high-resolution photos - showed a #MassiveOilSlick running through the strait, measuring at least 25km (15 miles) long. A second, smaller slick measuring around 5.7km (3.5 miles) long is also visible."

Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c23ngk5vgmpo
#WaterIsLife #EnvironmentalDestruction #OilSpill

🇷🇺 RUSSIA
🔴 Russia Warns Against UK-Ukraine Cooperation in the Sea of Azov

🪧 Moscow calls the UK-Ukraine 100-year partnership “worthless” and vows to counter any British military presence in the Azov Sea, claiming it as Russia's "internal sea."

🪧 Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova labels the agreement a "PR campaign" and warns against "gross interference" in Russia's internal affairs. 🧵

#Russia #Ukraine #UK #SeaOfAzov #KeirStarmer #BalticSea #Kyiv

UK intel assessment: 🇷🇺 is not able to protect key military locations from 🇺🇦 air attacks.

🇷🇺 occupied #Pishchane #Kharkiv Oblast attempting to encircle 🇺🇦 troops in #Prohres #Donetsk Oblast.

🇺🇦 repelled a large attack near #Kurakhove.

🇷🇺 marginally advanced N of #Kharkiv and near #Avdiivka and #Donetsk.

🇷🇺 drone attacks. Three drones breached #Romania airspace.

🇷🇺 fleet withdrew from #SeaOfAzov .

#UkraineWar, Day 883: #Kyiv --- We Have Cleared #Russia Navy From #SeaOfAzov

https://eaworldview.com/2024/07/ukraine-war-sea-of-azov-russia-warships/

#Ukraine #BlackSea

🇷🇺 #Shakhty Polyester Plant on fire.

Extended disruption to 🇷🇺 internet provider QWERTY.

🇷🇺 aviation operations decreasing near #SeaOfAzov .

🇺🇦 maintains #Krynky bridgehead.

#ufd

The Russian military is forming a separate unit of the Black Sea Fleet in the Sea of Azov with headquarters in occupied Mariupol of the Donetsk region https://mil.in.ua/en/news/russia-forms-the-azov-naval-district-with-headquarters-in-mariupol/ #RussianArmedForces #RussianNavy #SeaOfAzov #Ukraine #WarWithRussia

https://twitter.com/militarnyi_en/status/1673668342383517703

Reposted from Twitter by @nafobot

#ukraine