Camilla Jessen
A serious oil spill off the coast of southern Russia is now spreading across the northeastern Black Sea.
An environmental crisis is unfolding in the Black Sea, as a growing oil slick threatens the Crimean coastline.
According to United24 Media, Russian authorities remain silent on cleanup efforts.
Black Sea Oil Spill Worsens as Slick Moves Toward Crimea
A significant oil spill off the coast of Russia’s port of Novorossiysk has expanded dramatically in recent days, raising serious environmental concerns as the slick drifts toward Crimea’s shores.
The leak occurred on August 29 during loading operations at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal.
Russian media and satellite imagery confirm that one of the terminal’s remote mooring units was shut down following the incident.
While early estimates put the affected area at 75 square kilometers with a discharge of 4–5 tonnes of oil, more recent assessments paint a far grimmer picture.
Revised Estimates: Slick Covers 350 Square Kilometers
New satellite data suggests that the oil slick now spans approximately 350 square kilometers.
This is nearly five times the initial estimate.
The volume of spilled oil has also been revised upward, with experts citing a minimum discharge of over 10 tonnes.
A Growing Threat to Marine and Coastal Environments
The slick is currently concentrated west of the Russian resort town of Anapa in Krasnodar Krai, according to Sergey Stanichny of Russia’s Maritime Rescue Service, who specializes in satellite-based oil detection.
Parts of the slick are now drifting southward toward the Kerch Strait, a strategic waterway separating mainland Russia from occupied Crimea.
Memories of Previous Disasters
Experts warn that oil residues could soon wash ashore along the Black Sea coast, particularly in areas north of Anapa and around Crimea’s eastern edge.
The current movement pattern is reminiscent of a previous disaster last winter.
On December 15, 2024, a collision between two Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait resulted in a catastrophic spill of 4,000 tonnes of fuel oil.
Ecosystems Damaged
That incident led to severe contamination from Crimea to the Georgian coastline, with lasting damage to marine ecosystems, including mass dolphin deaths and widespread seabird loss.
No Official Cleanup Plan Announced
Despite the growing scale of the spill, Russian authorities have yet to present a detailed response plan.
Environmental watchdogs and volunteers, who played a major role in the 2024 cleanup efforts, are again voicing concern over the lack of official communication and visible containment efforts.
Ongoing Satellite Monitoring
Satellite surveillance continues to monitor the slick’s spread through the northeastern Black Sea, but with no public mitigation strategy in place, the risk to the coastal environment — including beaches, fisheries, and protected marine species — is increasing by the day.
