An ecologist demonstrated the scale of coastal pollution in Tuapse.
Oil spill responders in Tuapse scoop out buckets of thick fuel oil that spilled into the Black Sea after booms ruptured. Kuban authorities previously attributed the leak to heavy rains, without mentioning a rupture.As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," a fire broke out at an oil terminal in the port of Tuapse following a drone attack on the night of April 20. On the evening of April 20, local residents reported that "oil rain" had fallen in the city. Environmentalists warned that the "oil rain" and smoke from the fire at the oil depot pose a health hazard, while Tuapse residents themselves called the situation in the city an environmental disaster. Residents fear new attacks and consider the burning oil terminal a source of environmental threat. On April 23, authorities reported the fire contained, and Tuapse residents called for schools to be closed. On the afternoon of April 24, Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev announced that the fire in the port had been completely extinguished.
On April 22, authorities admitted that in areas near the sea terminal (Grozneft, Sortirovka, and Zvezdny, as well as part of the Central District), benzene, xylene, and soot concentrations in the air exceeded permissible limits by two to three times. These data were obtained from measurements taken on the evening of April 21st. Air quality measurements were not taken on April 22nd due to rain. "The situation will return to normal as soon as the fire is extinguished," the Kuban task force stated. The environmental disaster in Tuapse has sparked discussion among social media users, with Tuapse residents feeling that social media coverage of the port fire and oil spill was more objective.
Participants in the Tuapse oil spill response plan to continue collecting fuel oil from the shoreline overnight, as a large amount of oil products has spilled into the sea, ecologist Georgy Kavanosyan reported on his Telegram channel.
During the day, work was complicated by a storm and strong winds. Residents of Tuapse expressed concerns that the booms installed on the Tuapse River to protect the sea from a spill might rupture. According to Kavanosyan, their fears were justified. "One boom cascade ruptured, and quite a lot of oil products leaked into the sea, one of the cleanup participants reported," he wrote.
The environmentalist noted that authorities attributed the spill of oil products into the sea through the installed booms to heavy rains and rising water levels in the river. "No one is officially saying how much and what leaked out," he noted.
Local activists called the police during the day, demanding an investigation into who caused the oil spill into the river and sea, and to determine the damage. One of the published videos shows the contaminated shoreline: a thick layer of fuel oil is visible at the water's edge. Activists also noted that the cleanup crews collecting the fuel oil are working without respirators.
“The fraction is thick, about 30 cm thick. We literally have to scoop it out with buckets (...) They plan to work at night as well,” Kavanosyan commented on the situation.
Critical consequences for flora and fauna
Animal life, especially birds, suffers greatly from the consequences of oil spills and fires, noted a Russian scientist who spoke to the "Caucasian Knot" on condition of anonymity.
“Birds are a special category; they are among the most vulnerable and hardest hit by oil spills of any animal. Even a few drops of oil on their plumage compromises the bird's water and thermal insulation, leading to hypothermia and death. Contamination of, for example, the wingtips or tail increases the bird's energy expenditure for flight by approximately 22%, while contamination of the sides and abdomen increases it by 45%. Furthermore, when preening their feathers, birds apparently ingest oil products, which causes internal damage and often death. There are also long-term consequences—reduced reproductive success, loss of nesting sites, and changes in migration routes. In other words, the population suffers greatly,” the scientist explained.
The increased acidity of contaminated sediments poses a threat to soil and plants. "These sediments acidify the soil, in some places quite significantly. They reduce the availability of calcium and magnesium, primarily, and simultaneously increase the solubility of toxic metals, mercury, aluminum, and others. Soil microorganisms, primarily those responsible for the decomposition of organic matter and the overall nutrient cycling in the soil, are destroyed. For plants, this primarily reduces photosynthesis; wheat, corn, and soybeans are particularly vulnerable here, and this is especially true for the Krasnodar Krai. Furthermore, by penetrating groundwater, these hydrocarbons in the sediments contaminate agricultural crops, many of them," the expert explained.
On December 15, 2024, two tankers carrying fuel oil sank in the Kerch Strait. A crew member of one of the tankers died as a result. In addition, an oil spill occurred, which led to catastrophic environmental consequences, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait".