Thirty-two dolphins have perished following the leakage of fuel oil from two storm-damaged tankers three weeks ago in the Kerch Strait, which divides the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from the southern Krasnodar region of Russia, according to an animal rescue organization’s statement on Sunday. Russia’s Delfa Dolphin Rescue and Research Center indicated that the fatalities are likely linked to the fuel oil spill.
The center, through the messaging app Telegram, reported that a total of 61 deceased cetaceans, including whales and dolphins, had been documented since the incident. However, the bodies of 29 of them appeared to have expired prior to the spill based on their condition. “Judging by the state of the bodies, it is probable that the majority of these cetaceans passed away within the initial 10 days following the calamity. Presently, the sea continues to bring them ashore,” the center conveyed, highlighting that a significant number of the deceased dolphins belonged to the endangered Azov species.
On Sunday, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry disclosed that officials and volunteers had cleared over 96,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil from the coastlines of the Krasnodar region’s Anapa and Temryuk districts. Following the detection of oil on the shores of Sevastopol, the largest city on the peninsula located approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Kerch Strait, Moscow-appointed officials in Crimea declared a regional emergency on Saturday.
The ministry’s estimate on December 23 suggested that up to a total of 200,000 tons may have been tainted with mazut, a dense, low-grade oil derivative. Russian President Vladimir Putin labeled the oil spill as an “ecological disaster.”
The Kerch Strait serves as a vital global maritime passageway, connecting the inland Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. The region has been a focal point of contention between Russia and Ukraine since Moscow’s annexation of the peninsula in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine brought Russia before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, accusing it of unlawfully attempting to seize control of the area. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, characterized the oil spill last month as a “large-scale environmental disaster” and advocated for additional sanctions on Russian tankers.
