Volunteers working to clean up a significant oil spill along Russia’s Black Sea coast have urgently appealed to President Vladimir Putin for federal assistance, stating that both they and local authorities are overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.
The spill, caused by two aging tankers struck by a storm on December 15, has severely affected the region’s wildlife, including seabirds, dolphins, and porpoises. The spill has spread along the beaches near Anapa, a popular tourist destination. One of the tankers split in half, while the other ran aground.
Putin labeled the incident an ecological disaster, and Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry has mobilized over 10,000 people for the cleanup effort. However, a group of around 30 volunteers filmed a video from a beach covered with bags of polluted sand, calling on Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to send immediate help. The volunteers argued that local authorities lack the necessary resources and technical expertise to address the large-scale contamination, relying heavily on volunteers with basic tools like shovels.
The volunteers requested professional cleanup teams, pollution specialists, and veterinarians to assist with the recovery of affected wildlife. They also urged Russia to seek international aid for additional equipment. “This is a cry from the heart. This kind of disaster cannot be dealt with using shovels,” one volunteer stated in the video.
On Monday, Alexander Kozlov, Russia’s Minister for Natural Resources and Ecology, visited Anapa to oversee the cleanup. He reported that 366 pieces of equipment are being used in the operation, and state media indicated that 40 kilometers (25 miles) of coastline had been cleared. Despite the efforts, Kozlov acknowledged that the harsh weather conditions and continuous oil washing up on beaches remain a challenge. Efforts are underway to inspect one of the affected tankers to determine if it is still leaking oil.
Recent reports from state TV mentioned that six dead dolphins had been found along the coast in the last 24 hours. Additionally, a storm overnight had caused some of the bags filled with polluted sand to burst open, further complicating the cleanup process.
