Putin reacts to oil spill in Black Sea after 25 days: Ukrainian MFA speaks out
Photo: Vladimir Putin, Russian President (Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to establish a headquarters to manage the aftermath of the tanker accident in the Kerch Strait. This reaction from the Kremlin leader appears demonstrative, according to Interfax and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
What Putin said
On January 9, the 25th day after the fuel oil spill, Putin stated that he "cannot ignore" the issue of eliminating the consequences of the tanker accident in the Black Sea and the oil spill.
"This is one of the most serious environmental challenges we have faced in recent years," the Kremlin leader added.
He also ordered the establishment of a headquarters to manage the cleanup efforts on-site.
Reaction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
"The instructions given by Vladimir Putin regarding the elimination of the consequences of the large-scale environmental disaster in the Black Sea appear demonstrative," the ministry stated.
The MFA highlighted that since December 15, the Russian authorities had not taken any effective measures to mitigate the aftermath of the Black Sea accident. Only after the scale of the disaster became too evident did the Russian leadership start showing "concern."
"The tanker accidents involving Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 in the Kerch Strait, caused by the use of outdated vessels and disregard for maritime safety standards, confirm Russia's inability to ensure safe navigation," the ministry added.
The MFA emphasized that this disaster is a direct consequence of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
The ministry also stressed that Russia's use of the shadow fleet not only generates billions of dollars in revenue for the aggressor but also increases the risk of environmental disasters.
"Therefore, Ukraine calls for stronger sanctions against operators of Russia's shadow fleet. We urge the international community to intensify pressure on Russia to stop its illegal economic activities in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and to hold it accountable," the ministry stated.
Kerch Strait accident
On December 15, two Russian tankers began sinking in the Kerch Strait, resulting in the spill of thousands of tons of fuel oil into the sea.
Today, January 10, Ukraine’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Svitlana Hrynchuk, stated that there is no threat to Odesa’s coastline due to the fuel oil spill.
