Brendan Cole is a Newsweek Senior News Reporter based in London He also covers other areas of geopolitics including China Brendan joined Newsweek in 2018 from the International Business Times and well as English You can get in touch with Brendan by emailing b.cole@newsweek.com or follow on him on his X account @brendanmarkcole either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content A Ukrainian drone attack on the Black Sea coast has sparked a state of emergency The attack on the city of Novorossiysk in Russia's Krasnodar region took place overnight Friday and injured at least five people Much of Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been moved to the city in the Krasnodar region which is east of Crimea the peninsula occupied by Russia since 2014 Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment Often without claiming direct responsibility, Ukraine is continuing to use drones to attack Russian military and energy infrastructure Russia's use of drones and missiles on Ukraine is also ongoing as U.S.-led efforts to broker peace falter Novorossiysk Mayor Andrey Kravchenko said on Telegram a state of emergency had been declared in the city following an overnight attack by Ukraine Residents posting on social media said that the explosions were heard in Kerch "Panic among the civilian population grew—the Crimean bridge was temporarily blocked and air defense did not always hit where it was needed," reported Ukrainian outlet UA.org A state of emergency was declared in Novorossiysk, russia, following a massive nighttime attack.The Ukrainian attack involved at least:170 UAVs,14 unmanned boats,3 Neptune missiles,8 Storm Shadow missilesWe are awaiting information on the targets hit. pic.twitter.com/VQ58GPmmOO a Telegram channel said to have links to Russia's security services Kravchenko said that a grain terminal had been damaged The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said last week it had seized a foreign vessel believed to be transporting stolen Ukrainian grain from Russian-occupied territories Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defenses downed 170 Ukrainian drones several missiles and 14 naval drones overnight were intercepted overnight Friday mainly over Crimea and Krasnodar region It comes as Ukraine has stepped up its drone strikes on Russian targets said on Thursday that Ukrainian drones had destroyed more than 83,000 Russian targets in April an eight percent increase from the previous month Russia continues to strike Ukrainian targets a drone attack on the northeastern city of Kharkiv injuring at least 47 people on Friday Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the attack showed Russia is targeting residential buildings at a time when Ukrainians are putting their children to bed and that "only tyrants can give such orders." Novorossiysk Mayor Andrey Kravchenko on Telegram: "A state of emergency has been declared in Novorossiysk..as a result of the night attack by the Kyiv regime apartment buildings … were damaged." Both sides are likely to continue to launch drone and missile attacks as the U.S Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said set to operate within the Council of Europe will focus on Russia's political and military leaders up to 20 Russian soldiers were killed and their equipment destroyed The move represents an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions passed in the wake of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests "We are ready to deepen our contribution to the training of the Ukrainian military," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on May 5 by Anna FratsyvirA TAURUS (Target Adaptive Unitary and dispensor Robotic Ubiquity System) KEPD 350 air-launched cruise missile is on display during the press presentation at the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) in Schoenefeld (Ralf Hirschberger/AFP via Getty Images)Friedrich Merz suggested on April 13 that long-range Taurus missiles could be used to target strategic Russian military infrastructure in occupied Crimea In an interview with ARD’s Caren Miosga, Merz emphasized the need to support Ukraine in moving from a reactive to a proactive stance on the battlefield saying Kyiv must be equipped to "shape events" and "get ahead of the situation." "If things continue as they are, if, for example, the most important land connection between Russia and Crimea is destroyed where most of the Russian military logistics are located then that would be an opportunity to bring this country strategically back into the picture finally," Merz said While outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly blocked the delivery of Taurus missiles over his concerns about escalation With Merz poised to take office following his Christian Democrats’ election win the decision to supply Taurus missiles could soon return to the political agenda It remains uncertain whether his future coalition partners from the Social Democrats will back the move Merz also clarified that he was not calling for direct German involvement in the war but rather for arming Ukraine with the capability to take the initiative The German politician has previously voiced support for supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine, stressing that such a step must be coordinated with European allies "Our European partners are already supplying cruise missiles," he reiterated on April 13, citing British, French, and U.S. efforts. "If it is coordinated, then Germany should participate in it." Ukraine has already received U.S.-supplied ATACMS as well as SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles from France and the U.K. Both Washington and London have permitted Kyiv to use these systems to strike targets within Russian-occupied territory The previous Biden administration and the U.K also allowed strikes with long-range missiles against military targets on Russian soil in late 2024 namely in the Russian border regions of Kursk and Bryansk President Donald Trump has criticized the move In the interview, Merz condemned a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on April 13, which killed at least 34 civilians and injured more than 100 calling it "a deliberate and intentional serious war crime." "And I say to all those in Germany who naively call on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to come to the negotiating table – this is the answer," he said "That’s what Putin does to those who talk to him about a ceasefire." Merz warned that Moscow interprets calls for peace as a sign of weakness "He obviously interprets our willingness to talk not as a serious offer to facilitate peace but as weakness," he said, referring to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s visit to Moscow last year, which was followed days later by a missile strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv The Western diplomatic isolation imposed on Putin after the outbreak of the full-scale war seems to be unraveling as Trump has resumed direct diplomatic contact with Moscow in an effort to broker a ceasefire as the Kremlin rejected a proposal by Washington and Kyiv for a full 30-day truce and continued in deadly attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure despite a partial ceasefire agreed upon on March 25 Anna Fratsyvir is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent with a background in broadcast journalism and international affairs she worked as a TV journalist at Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne covering global politics and international developments Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in International Communications from Taras Shevchenko National University and is currently an MA candidate in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Your gateway to environmental health knowledge Join the Environmental Health News community has prompted Russia to form an emergency task force after the situation escalated The Associated Press reports. “Russia’s practice of first ignoring the problem and ultimately leaving the entire Black Sea region alone with the consequences is yet another proof of its international irresponsibility.” The Kerch Strait is a crucial shipping route and geopolitical hotspot. The ongoing spill threatens marine ecosystems and livelihoods heightening regional tensions and international scrutiny hand-picked by our editors and researchers We offer a host of daily and weekly options Nonprofit organizations MADE SAFE and Plastic Pollution Coalition released the new Healthy Pregnancy Guideto help parents-to-be navigate the challenges of making healthier living choices for babies and the planet a newsroom powered by Environmental Health Sciences It all improves the health of our communities Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application entered into eternal rest surrounded by his family on December 25 Preceded in death by father; mother; sister and was a longtime member of Our Lady of the Visitation Church where he was actively involved as a 3rd Degree Knight of Columbus He was a 1970 graduate of Somerset High School and a 1974 graduate of Shippensburg University with a Bachelor of Science in Education While in college he was a standout member of the Shippensburg University Red Raider baseball team and the Shippensburg AAA's/Stars baseball team He taught social studies and geography for the Shippensburg Area School District (SASHS) for 36 years He coached the SASHS softball team during its early years winning a State Championship in 1982 and captured multiple district titles 1982 1984 and was inducted into the SASHS Hall of Fame both individually as a coach and as a member of the 1982 State Championship Softball Team He also served as equipment manager for SASHS athletics He was the happiest spending time with his family His joyful spirit and kind heart reached many at home He volunteered his time coaching youth sports and was always willing to lend a helping hand A service to celebrate Frank's life will be held on January 13th AL 35401 with Father Tom Ackerman presiding Visitation at 1:00 pm followed by service at 1:30 pm Committal will follow in the Holy Spirit Catholic Church Columbarium donations in Frank's memory may be sent to: SASHS - Athletics PA 17257 (In memo section write Frank Kerch Memorial) Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Two tankers broke up in fierce storms in the Kerch Strait in December, polluting Russian and Ukrainian coastlines Russia has yet to ask for help from a global compensation body to pay the victims of a major oil spill after two tankers broke up in the Kerch Strait, the London-based body confirmed on Monday. As a member of the 122-nation International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds), Russia is potentially eligible for more than $500m to pay salvage teams, businesses and individuals affected by the spill of thousands of barrels of oil. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Your data on TradeWinds TradeWinds is part of DN Media Group AS From November 1st DN Media Group is responsible for controlling your data on TradeWinds We use your data to ensure you have a secure and enjoyable user experience when visiting our site. You can read more about how we handle your information in our privacy policy DN Media Group is the leading news provider in the shipping, seafood, and energy industries, with a number of English- and Norwegian-language news publications across a variety of sectors. Read more about DN Media Group here TradeWinds is part of NHST Global Publications AS and we are responsible for the data that you register with us and the data we collect when you visit our websites We use cookies in a variety of ways to improve your experience such as keeping NHST websites reliable and secure personalising content and ads and to analyse how our sites are being used For more information and how to manage your privacy settings please refer to our privacy and cookie policies A new fuel slick has been spotted on the surface near the Kerch Strait the Russian-controlled waterway between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov according to a Russian environmental scientist The pollution is near the site where two aging tankers broke up and sank in December - but Russian officials deny that any additional pollution from the disaster has been observed.  ecologist Georgy Kavanosyan released a synthetic aperture radar image of the Kerch Strait on social media showing what appeared to be a long slick at the entrance to the strait The site corresponds to the location of the bow section of Volgoneft-239 told Russian investigative reporting outlet Agentstva that the leak is likely in the range of hundreds of liters per day - and that it will likely continue through the warm months of the year as the fuel cargo heats up and seeps out.  government agencies are not telling us what is happening with the spilled fuel oil They are pretending that none of this is happening," Shkradyuk said Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations says that it continues to monitor the wreck sites daily and it claims that no additional fuel leaks from the tankers have been recorded "The sunken fragments of the tankers are constantly being examined by divers the bottom is being monitored in a kilometer-long zone from the coast using remotely controlled vehicles and patrol groups of rescuers on boats are being used to monitor the situation in the water area," ministry chief Alexander Kurenkov said Friday Russia's environment ministry (Rosprirodnadzor) has filed a new claim for compensation for damages against the owners of Volgoneft-239 and Volgoneft-212 The two riverine tankers were operating in the open waters of the Black Sea in wintertime beyond the limits of their design parameters and the ministry laid blame on the captains and on their employers.  your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Russia is continuing its extensive clean-up operation in the Black Sea’s Kerch Strait according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations following the oil spill caused by two storm-stricken Russian tankers last December which released at least 3,700 tonnes of fuel oil which separates the Russian-occupied Crimea Peninsula from mainland Russia linking the inland Sea of Azov to the Black Sea It has also become a significant point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine since Moscow annexed the peninsula in 2014 The incident occurred when the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 oil tankers were caught in a storm while the other ran aground and began leaking oil The Ministry of Emergency Situations reports that over 418.7 kilometres of coastline have been cleared and more than 154,300 tonnes of contaminated sand and soil have been removed An estimated €913 million has been spent on the ongoing clean-up effort according to the Russian government environmental watchdog Rospotrebnadzor Russian President Vladimir Putin called the oil spill an “ecological disaster." described the spill to Russian media as one of the country's worst "environmental catastrophes" of the 21st century an adviser to the Head of the Office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the oil spill as a “large-scale environmental disaster” and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers This photo taken from a video released by the Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office shows a Volgoneft-212 tanker wrecked by a storm in the Kerch Strait (The Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office via AP) MOSCOW (AP) — Two Russian oil tankers have been seriously damaged following a storm in the Kerch Strait spilling oil and sparking an emergency rescue operation Russian officials told state news outlets Sunday Some reports said at least one of the vessels later sank which was carrying a crew of 13 and a cargo of fuel oil citing the country’s Emergency Situations Ministry but that a rescue operation was able to evacuate the remaining sailors was also damaged and was adrift with 14 crewmembers on board It later ran aground 80 meters from shore close to the port of Taman in Russia’s Krasnodar region the two ships were carrying almost 9,000 tons of mazut Social media footage from the scene showed a black slick of liquid among the waves but said that experts were still working to assess its full impact and extent The Kerch Strait separates the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russia and is an important global shipping route providing passage from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea The partisans made the appeal via Telegram "The Kerch Bridge has become a key element in the occupation of Crimea and must be destroyed are reaching out to the residents of Kerch and all of Crimea: help us collect critical information about the Kerch (Crimean) Bridge and its security," the statement reads The partisans are asking Crimean residents to send photos and information on military equipment movements "Every piece of information is a step toward the liberation of Crimea," the group added Ukraine's SBU State Security Service attacked the Crimean Bridge twice -- first in October 2022 using a truck carrying explosives and then in July 2023 using maritime drones While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 Volgoneft-212 and -239 were built between 1969 and 1973 produced under a major Soviet construction program that delivered hundreds of ships for the Black Sea-Volga "river-sea" tanker and freighter fleet spilling an estimated 2,000-3,000 tonnes of bunker fuel into the Black Sea Cleanup efforts are still under way.  "The problem with the Volgoneft type vessels has been known for a long time These vessels are declared as 'river-sea' class but in fact in Soviet times they were used for river shipping at most with an exit to the bay at the river mouth They were not intended for full-fledged sea shipping," said Yuri Kurnakov chairman of Russia's Marine Trade Union In 2013, Russian Marine Engineering Bureau director Gennady Egorov published a technical review of the class' design and its maintenance challenges The Soviet naval architects who designed the Volgoneft tanker fleet relied on a mix of standard plate and thinner higher-strength steel to reduce weight for the shallow-draft riverine vessels increasing their cargo capacity but creating areas that were prone to serious cracking All of these ships have spent 50 years or more transiting through a series of locks on the Volga and after decades of contact with fendering, their hull plating is deeply indented between the scantlings a few of these tankers had the entire cargo section cropped out and replaced due to corrosion and cracking - everything between the pump room and the forepeak bulkhead ensuring sustainable safe transportation of oil and oil products on tankers of mixed river-sea navigation is possible only through new shipbuilding," concluded Egorov these aging riverine tankers are now employed to transport thousands of tonnes of bunker fuel from Russian refineries to a transshipment zone off Kavkaz at the southern entrance to the Kerch Strait they rendezvous with dark fleet tankers or - more often - with a designated storage and offloading tanker identified as the Firn (ex name SCF Caucasus) The fuel carried by the Volgoneft fleet helps Russia's sanctions-busting oil export tankers to keep moving an estimated 660,000 tonnes of bunker fuel moved from refineries to "shadow fleet" vessels aboard the Volgoneft fleet over the last year Firn has transloaded bunker fuel from the Volgoneft fleet onto at least one other sanctioned tanker Pletenchuk was asked whether the transportation value of the Kerch Bridge for Russia is diminishing Pletenchuk explained that the bridge has both logistical and symbolic significance for Russia occupying forces have already begun addressing some supply challenges by using alternative routes through southern Ukraine "They (the Russians) are investing in road construction at a rapid pace expanding transport infrastructure on a large scale to support their forces in the occupied south the logistical importance of the bridge will likely continue to decline," he said Pletenchuk also noted that Russia is reinforcing security around the Kerch Bridge Pletenchuk reported that Russia is actively working to strengthen the security and structural integrity of the Kerch Bridge by Tim ZadorozhnyyCargo ships and car ferries cross the Kerch Strait as the Crimea bridge is seen behind as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Crimea on July 25 2023 (Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)The Crimean Bridge was closed on the morning of Dec 6 amid reports of Ukrainian drones targeting the area According to the pro-Ukrainian Crimean Wind Telegram channel, explosions were heard in the city of Kerch near the "Zaliv" shipyard, and air defense systems were reportedly activated in the Kerch Strait, according to Krym.Realii "Vehicular traffic on the Crimean Bridge has been temporarily suspended," the Crimean Bridge: Operational Information Telegram channel said Russia's Defense Ministry stated on Dec. 6 that air defense systems shot down one Ukrainian drone over Crimea overnight. The ministry also claimed that Russian Black Sea Fleet naval aviation destroyed two Ukrainian uncrewed boats heading toward Crimea in the Black Sea The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims Construction on the 19-kilometer-long bridge which links occupied Crimea with the Russian mainland, began after the illegal occupation of the peninsula in 2014 After becoming a critical supply route for Russian forces after the launch of Moscow's full-scale invasion, it has been attacked by Kyiv's forces on several occasions, and was heavily damaged by Ukrainian strikes in October 2022 and July 2023 On Sept. 27, reports suggested Russia was strengthening defenses around the Crimean Bridge including deploying underwater drone traps Russian proxy authorities in occupied Crimea regularly shut down traffic on the bridge amid reports of explosions and drone strikes The Crimean Bridge is the subject of a dispute between Ukraine and Russia at the Permanent Court of Arbitration Speaking there on Sept. 23, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Anton Korynevych, said Russia "wants to take the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait for itself." "So it has built a great gate at their entrance, to keep international shipping out while allowing small Russian river vessels in," he said, adding: "The bridge is unlawful, and it must come down." Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor. One month after two aging coastal tankers broke up near the Kerch Strait, their cargoes of heavy fuel oil continue to contaminate beaches in Crimea and Krasnodar, and Russian authorities have decided to ramp up the the response. On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the spill "one of the most serious environmental challenges" that Russia has recently encountered. The port of Taman is particularly affected, according to  Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov, as it is nearest to the wreck of the Volgoneft-239, which continues to leak. The remaining fuel in the damaged tanker's stern section will be pumped off, Kurenkov said.  The environmental hazard from the spill is significant enough that Russia may decide to ban the sale of fish caught in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov - though no ban has been implemented yet. Wildlife impacts are significant, with region-wide reports of oiled seabirds and dozens of reported deaths of dolphins.  © Copyright 2025 The Maritime Executive, LLC. All rights reserved. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Ukraine is reportedly planning a new strike on the Kerch Bridge in Crimea a vice admiral serving as the commander of the Ukrainian Navy Newsweek reached out to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for comment via email outside of business hours The battle for Crimea has been a focal point of the war as fighting over the territory began in 2014 Moscow and Kyiv have had a historically complex relationship regarding Crimea. Russia previously annexed the peninsula in 1783 under Catherine the Great as part of the Russian Empire, and Crimea gained its independence with Ukraine in 1991 The Black Sea is also a key resource for Russia as it serves as a base for Moscow's naval fleets and a critical transit hub for Russian gas and oil to European customers through the TurkStream pipeline Neizhpapa told The Guardian that he is hopeful that Kyiv will be able to destroy the Kerch Bridge He added: "The Russians understand we are actively discussing a third operation There is a saying: 'God loves a trinity.'" The commander of the Ukrainian Navy also said that Ukraine's two previous strikes on the bridge damaged the road and rail structure and Russian forces were no longer able to transport heavy wagons across the railway bridge Neizhpapa spoke about Ukraine's efforts and success in "independently free[ing]" the northwest Black Sea He said that Kyiv had gained "fire control" of the Sea of Azov Neizhpapa added that his goal is to make sure international cargo ships can take goods to foreign ports through the busy grain corridor Noting that exports had returned to levels not seen since the beginning of the war Neizhpapa said: "This is good for the economy It's one of the successes of Ukraine's war against Russia." He added: "The corridor works all the time which nobody talks about and nobody really sees Grain exports are a key facet of Ukraine's economy as the Ukrainians are one of the world's biggest suppliers of crops Neizhpapa said that it has become a "technological race dominated by drones." After Russia had developed effective ways to counter sea drone raids Ukrainian engineers added "anti-aircraft guns to shoot down helicopters—and FPV (first-person view) drones." The Kerch Bridge was opened by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2018 to serve as a critical supply route for Russian forces just four years after Moscow illegally annexed the Ukrainian peninsula the near-12-mile road and rail bridge has been crucial to sustaining Moscow's military offensives in southern Ukraine Ukraine first struck the vital structure in October 2022 which has left it "crumbling" and "living in its final days," according to Atesh a pro-Kyiv military partisan group of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars Since Kyiv's attacks on the bridge, Moscow has tried to implement repairs, fortifying it with underwater barriers and reportedly redeploying air defense systems, including the Pantsir-S1 air defense system the group Atesh previously said that the bridge's structural elements are degrading Newsweek was not able to independently verify these claims Neizhpapa is not the first Ukrainian to hint at plans for another strike on the bridge in Crimea, as a spokesperson for Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said in April 2024 that another strike on the bridge was "inevitable." Neizhpapa previously wrote: "The Ukrainian Navy is actively working to overcome the consequences of irresponsible and aggressive Russian activities The priorities are to create conditions for the safe movement of ships along the sea corridor In an interview with the Russian news outlet RIA Novosti regarding Ukraine's threat of a third strike on the Kerch Bridge said: "With such an attitude toward religion I think the OCU [new Orthodox Church of Ukraine] will soon acquire their relics." Regarding Crimea, in an interview with CNN in 2023 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: "We cannot imagine Ukraine without Crimea And while Crimea is under the Russian occupation it means only one thing: the war is not over yet." A third strike on the Kerch Bridge by Ukrainian forces could escalate tensions with Russia Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. This was reported by Krym.Realii and relayed by Ukrinform Journalists from the outlet spotted two LPG tankers at the gas terminals in Kerch fishing port One of the vessels had its identifying information on the stern concealed a train loaded with grain transport wagons was observed at the dock near the grain terminal It’s unclear whether the wagons are currently filled but the report notes that this port has previously been used to ship Ukrainian grain from occupied territories to regions in the Middle East since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine Russia has intensified its use of port infrastructure in Crimea despite international sanctions and the official closure of Ukrainian ports on the peninsula to international shipping and Feodosia are also being used for transshipping strategic cargo including ilmenite (a titanium and iron oxide mineral used by "Crimean Titan") and petroleum products MOSCOW, Dec 20 (Reuters) – A vessel called Gam Express has sent a distress signal in the Kerch strait Russia’s Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office said on Friday “The Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office controls the safety of navigation in connection with the sending of a distress signal by the Gam Express vessel in the Kerch Strait,” it said a statement posted on Telegram messaging app Read Also: Oil Spills Into Kerch Strait After Russian Tanker Breaks Apart in Storm that the ship sent the signal due to a delay in payment of salaries and a lack of food “The crew just haven’t had their wages for three months Food was last delivered to them on board on the 16th of November it’s all gone… That’s why they’re signaling,” Interfax cited the Russian Seafarers’ Trade Union as saying The Kerch strait connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov and is a major shipping route Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox A Swedish probe found no conclusive evidence to suggest that a Chinese ship had deliberately dragged its anchor to damage two Baltic Sea cables Sweden's Accident Investigation Authority said on Tuesday though a separate investigation remains under way The Estonian navy detained and boarded a Russia-bound oil tanker on an EU sanctions list on Friday accusing it of sailing illegally without a valid country flag has sunk off the Egyptian resort town of Hurghada with 45 people on board The incident occurred around 1,000 meters offshore during an hour-long.. 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An emergency taskforce has arrived in Russia's southern Krasnodar region as an oil spill in the Kerch Strait from two storm-stricken tankers continues to spread a month after it was first detected. The team, which includes Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov, was set up after Russian President Vladimir Putin called on authorities on Friday to ramp up the response to the spill, calling it "one of the most serious environmental challenges we have faced in recent years." Kurenkov said that a "most difficult situation" had developed near the port of Taman in the Krasnodar region, where fuel oil continues to leak into the sea from the damaged part of the Volgoneft-239 tanker. Kurenkov was quoted as saying by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that the remaining oil will be pumped out of the tanker's stern. The Emergencies Ministry said that over 155,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil had been collected since oil spilled out of the tankers during a storm four weeks ago in the Kerch Strait, which separates the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from the Krasnodar region. Russian-installed officials in Ukraine’s partially Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region said on Saturday that mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product, had reached the Berdyansk Spit, some 145 kilometres north of the Kerch Strait. It contaminated an area over 14km long, Moscow-installed Governor Yevgeny Balitsky wrote on Telegram. Russian-appointed officials in Moscow-occupied Crimea announced a regional emergency last weekend after oil was detected on the shores of Sevastopol, the peninsula's largest city. In response to Putin's call for action, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi accused Russia of "beginning to demonstrate its concern only after the scale of the disaster became too obvious to conceal its terrible consequences." "Russia's practice of first ignoring the problem, then admitting its inability to solve it, and ultimately leaving the entire Black Sea region alone with the consequences is yet another proof of its international irresponsibility," Tykhyi said on Friday. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, described the oil spill last month as a "large-scale environmental disaster" and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers. The Kerch Strait is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the inland Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. The two ships, the Volgoneft 239 and the Volgoneft 212, were transporting roughly 9,200 tonnes of mazut. Footage from the scene also showed a black liquid rising among the waves. This photo taken from a video released by the Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office, shows a Volgoneft-212 tanker wrecked by a storm in the Kerch Strait, Russia, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. (The Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office via AP) MOSCOW (AP) — An estimated 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil had spilled into the Kerch Strait after two Russian ships were seriously damaged by stormy weather, Russian state media reported Monday. The two ships, the Volgoneft 239 and the Volgoneft 212, were transporting roughly 9,200 tons of mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product. Social media footage from the scene showed a black liquid rising among the waves. Preliminary estimates say that 3,700 tons of mazut leaked into the sea, Russian state news outlet RIA Novosti reported, citing an unnamed source. In a statement, the leader of Russia’s nearby Krasnodar region, Gov. Veniamin Kondratev, said that the oil had not yet reached the shore. An emergency rescue operation was launched Sunday after the Volgoneft-212 tanker ran aground and had its bow torn away in storm conditions, Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry said. One sailor in the 13-man crew died, officials said. A second tanker, the Volgoneft-239, was also left damaged and adrift with 14 crewmembers on board. It later ran aground 80 meters from shore, close to the port of Taman in Russia’s Krasnodar region, from where the sailors were later rescued. Russian officials confirmed the oil spill Sunday, but said that experts were still working to assess its full impact and extent. In a statement, Greenpeace Ukraine said they will monitor the situation. The charity has had no presence in Russia since 2023, when it was designated as an “undesirable organization” by the Russian government. “Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious,” said Dr. Paul Johnston, head of Greenpeace Research Laboratories, based at the University of Exeter in the U.K.) “It is likely to be driven by prevailing wind and currents and in the current weather conditions (it) is likely to be extremely difficult to contain. If it is driven ashore, then it will cause fouling of the shoreline which will be extremely difficult to clean up.” The Kerch Strait separates the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russia and is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the head of the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described the oil spill as a “large-scale environmental disaster” of the war and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers. “The accidents on two rusty vessels in the Kerch Strait resulted in another large-scale environmental disaster of our war. Thousands of tons of fuel oil spilled from the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, causing tragic damage to the natural systems of the Azov and Black Seas,” he wrote in a post on X Monday. Spilled bunker fuel from two Russian tankers that broke up last month is now washing ashore in Russian-occupied Crimea, and local authories have declared a state of emergency to deal with the cleanup. Russian-appointed mayor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, described the problem as "traces of minor pollution."  Last month, the aging river-sea tanker Volgoneft 212 sank in a severe storm about five nautical miles outside of the Kerch Strait. The tanker Volgoneft-239 went aground off Taman shortly after, and it gradually broke up and began leaking its cargo. Both vessels were more than 50 years old, and the head of Russia's maritime trade union told state outlet TASS that they were never designed for the rough conditions of the Kerch Strait in a winter storm.  The two tankers were each carrying thousands of tonnes of mazut, a Russian grade of heavy fuel oil, and within days, the thick sludgy substance began polluted beaches around Anapa on the strait's eastern side.  With a change in wind direction, the oil has been migrating southwest towards popular tourist beaches on the Crimean peninsula. "Fuel oil has already washed up on the beaches of Lyubymivka and Orlivka, which is the western coast of Sevastopol," independent news outlet Crimean Wind reported.  Residents of affected communities have complained about the official cleanup response and the amount of help that local communities are getting from federal authorities. Around Anapa, hundreds of bags of cleaned-up sand and sludge were left on the beach in a storm, and split open to release their contents in heavy surf.  Over 10,000 people have joined the cleanup effort, and more than 80,000 tonnes of sand-oil mix have been collected to date, according to Russia's emergencies ministry.  Mazut (M100) solidifies at room temperature and often sinks to the bottom, where it rests until disturbed by currents or wave action. Russian cleanup experts have warned that it will be years before the last of the oil breaks down and stops washing ashore.  which separates mainland Russia from the Moscow-annexed Crimea region is a key route for exports of its grain and fuel products.The Finland-registered Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) think-tank said 369 vessels exported Russian crude oil and oil products last month and 28% of these were at least 20 years old.Before the weekend incidents CREA said the cost of clean up and compensation resulting from an oil spill from tankers with unknown insurance or no insurance provision could amount to more than $1 billion for the coastal country's taxpayers.Russia rejects Western pressure to limit its oil exports and in the past year the number of tankers transporting cargoes that are not regulated or insured by Western providers has grown.The documents showed the Volgoneft 212 was covered by insurance from Russia's VSK said it was carrying 4,200 tons of fuel oil.Russia's OOO Absolyut Strakhovaniye covered the insurance for the Volgoneft 239 documents seen by Reuters showed.Neither immediately replied to requests for comment.President Vladimir Putin on Sunday ordered the government to set up a working group to deal with the rescue operation and mitigate the impact of the spill Russian news agencies cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov additional reporting by Jonathan Saul; Writing by Lucy Papachristou and Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Andrew Osborn and Alexander Smith A Soviet-era product tanker has gone down in the Russian-controlled Kerch Strait spilling fuel and leaving one seafarer dead.  According to Russian transport agency Rosmorrechflot the aging river-sea tanker Volgoneft 212 sank in a wintertime storm Sunday about five nautical miles outside of the Kerch Strait Waves in excess of 25 feet were forecast by Russia's meteorological agency A video taken by a crewmember shows that the aging vessel broke up in the storm and the bow could be seen floating away from the bridge deck.  Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that twelve people were rescued implying that two seafarers remain missing Two of the survivors were said to be in serious condition The tanker was carrying about 4,300 tonnes of mazut a uniquely Russian and Central Asian residual fuel oil produced from low-quality feedstocks but a breakup would release a substantial quantity of petroleum at once from at least one cargo tank and several fuel tanks.  Russian authorities are investigating the incident as a possible criminal safety violation.  A second tanker from the same operator's fleet ran aground just off Taman at about the same time as the sinking of the 212 The grounded ship was located close to shore and though initial reports suggested it was sinking Conditions on scene were poor and the crew were determined to be in no danger so SAR authorities opted to leave all crewmembers aboard the 239 until the weather improved.  Volgoneft 212 was more than five decades old and had recently received major modifications in a yard period her hull had been cut in two amidships - typically a prelude to lengthening to increase cargo capacity.  A large fleet of Soviet-era tankers and bulkers still ply the waters of the Black Sea, providing low-cost transport along the coasts and inland waterways. These aging vessels have repeatedly broken up and sunk in heavy weather in recent years, including one in 2021 that was smashed by modest swells while at anchor. including Russian Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov was deployed to the southern Krasnodar region to address an ongoing oil spill in the Kerch Strait The spill, caused by storm-damaged tankers over the weekend of December 14-15, 2024 has persisted for over a month and was labeled by President Vladimir Putin as “one of the most serious environmental challenges” in recent years Authorities plan to pump out the remaining oil to mitigate further damage The spill has resulted in over 155,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil being collected contaminating areas as far as the Berdyansk Spit and Sevastopol in Crimea Local emergencies have been declared and the spill’s reach underscores the environmental and geopolitical complexities of the Kerch Strait a vital shipping route linking the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea Ukraine criticized Russia’s delayed response accusing it of neglecting the disaster and jeopardizing the Black Sea region Ukrainian officials have called for additional sanctions against Russian tankers emphasizing the spill’s broader implications amid ongoing tensions in the region.  Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "ace2d64f9e4684f010c2411871f263cb" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id" The cleanup effort for the wreck site of Volgoneft-239 took until the end of January A response team led by Russian salvage agency Morspasluzhba (Morspas) built an earthen dike around the perimeter of the wreck protecting it from wave action and creating a sheltered space for pollution abatement work to proceed pumped out and driven off by the truckload Morspas has sued Volgatransneft - the owner of the Volgoneft-239 - to recover the full cost of the cleanup and the case is proceeding at an arbitration court in Krasnodar Volgatransneft petitioned to have the lawsuit transferred to a court in Moscow The hearings will begin in early April; the amount of the claim has yet to be fully calculated.  The same court has already fined Volgatransneft a minor penalty of $3,500 for alleged technical violations in connection with Volgoneft-239's sinking.  the city of Anapa has filed a claim of $2.4 million against Volgatransneft and Kama Shipping - the owner of the Volgoneft-212 - to recover the costs for the beach cleanup that followed the spills The city administration plans to increase the claim when extra cleanup costs occur as more washed-up waste is expected for years to come.  Experts consulted by Forbes put the estimated environmental damage from the spills at about $300 million The tankers are insured for a maximum of about $30 million for pollution compensation The lost vessels were part of a flotilla that provides bunkers for Russia's "dark fleet" near Novorossiysk, and helped transfer fuel oil to at least three U.S.-sanctioned tankers according to Russian investigative news outlet IStories.  Russia’s Ministry of Transport has confirmed that the fuel oil aboard the tankers belonged to Rosneft which posted a profit of $14 billion in 2023 by Abbey FenbertIllustrative purposes: Cargo ships and car ferries cross the Kerch Strait as the Crimea bridge is seen behind as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Crimea on July 25 (Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Russia has declared a federal state of emergency in response to an ongoing oil spill in the Kerch Strait Russian Emergency Situations Minister Aleksandr Kurenkov announced on Dec The crisis began when two Russian oil tankers, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239, suffered severe damage during a storm on Dec. 15. Both vessels were reportedly carrying about 4,000 tons of fuel, which began leaking into the Black Sea "I propose to classify the emergency situation caused by the tanker wreck in the Kerch Strait as an emergency situation of a federal nature and establish a federal level of response," Kurenkov said on Dec Russian state funds will now be directed to the emergency response and cleanup effort Some 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil have spilled into the Kerch Strait according to the Russian state news outlet RIA Novosti Russian scientist Viktor Danilov-Danilyan said in a press conference on Dec 25 that about 200,000 tons of soil along the Black Sea coast have been contaminated The Kerch Strait separates mainland Russia from Russian-occupied Crimea Greenpeace Ukraine warned on Dec. 16 that the destruction of the Russian oil tankers could cause "significant" environmental damage "Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious," the head of Greenpeace Research Laboratories In October, the Kyiv School of Economics Institute warned that Russia's "shadow fleet" of old and poorly insured tankers pose significant environmental risks as these vessels increase the danger of oil spills Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine has caused massive environmental damage, including the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka Dam and subsequent flooding, widespread forest fires and the devastation of wide stretches of farm land Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent and playwright with an MFA from Boston University Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011 Two tankers linked to the so-called Russian ‘shadow fleet’ encountered a storm near the Kerch Strait and were heavily damaged one of the vessels split into two and sank while the other one ran aground identified as Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 were carrying almost 9,000 tons of fuel oil at the time of the incident which reportedly occurred on December 15 the hull of the tanker Volgoneft-212 broke on Sunday morning near Cape Takil in the southern part of the Kerch Strait which connects Black and Azov seas The emergency occurred in stormy conditions with wind speeds of up to 24 m/s and waves of about 3 meters the Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport (Rosmorrechflot) informed via Telegram With the help of helicopters and a rescue tug twelve people were rescued from Volgoneft 212 The tanker Volgoneft-239 was hit by the storm in the same area later that morning the stern of the vessel drifted to the shore off ​​​​Cape Panagia and ran aground 80 meters from the coastline All fourteen crew members were safely evacuated to shore the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation (EMERCOM of Russia) confirmed The damages resulted in an oil spill and Russian authorities have been assessing the situation EMERCOM of Russia later revealed that the fuel from the tankers had leaked partially with some of the fuel tanks being undamaged The oil spill is drifting towards the coast off Cape Panagia to the Tuzla Spit and is being monitored reported that about 3,000 tons of fuel leaked from the damaged tankers Specialists from several government-backed agencies are completing preparatory work to clean up the spilled fuel oil the operation of the Kerch Strait ferry line has been suspended The risks of Russia’s growing shadow fleet The two ill-fated tankers reportedly belong(ed) to the Russian shadow fleet uninsured and with unclear ownership—are used for export of Russia’s crude oil and petroleum products abroad NGOs have been warning authorities in Europe and around the globe of the risk of environmental disasters Both Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 were on their way to deliver fuel for the Russian Navy with the Marine Traffic location system being switched off for 12 days already Tracking data from October 1st showed that the delivery route was supposed to start in Volgograd and end in Kerch Strait the Ukrainian branch of the independent global campaigning network Greenpeace said “Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious It is likely to be driven by prevailing wind and currents (moving now to the North-East) and in the current weather conditions is likely to be extremely difficult to contain then it will cause fouling of the shoreline which will be extremely difficult to clean up,” Paul Johnston based at the University of Exeter in the UK “Any environmental impact will depend on the type of oil spilled Heavy residual fuel oils will tend to cause more visible damage than refined fractions and marine gas oil which will tend to disperse and break up quite rapidly Given the potential for significant environmental impacts the focus should be to try and minimize any further spillage if possible then there is the potential for releases of oil and petrochemicals over a longer time span.” This region has already suffered from an oil spill in 2007 when 1,200 tons of oil escaped from one Russian tanker combined with other contamination It resulted in severe damage to the environment observed even a year after the accident.   the European parliamentarians raised the issue of Russia’s shadow fleet calling on the EU to impose “more targeted” sanctions against the (mal)practice the EU Council adopted the 15th sanctions package against Russia with the focus to keep cracking down on the country’s shadow fleet This targeted approach by the EU is said to increase the cost for Russia to use such vessels as they are no longer able to do business as usual in the EU or with EU operators It also reduces the number of vessels in Russia’s shadow fleet that are able to carry Russian crude oil This content is available after accepting the cookies The EU adopted a 15th package of sanctions in view of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine:🚫84 individuals & entities blacklisted🚫new measures targeting the circumvention of sanctions through Putin’s shadow fleet and weakening Russia’s military and industrial complex👇 Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox The Pioneers of Offshore Engineering GustoMSC part of NOV’s Marine and Construction business is recognized for providing advanced design & engineering consultancy for mobile offshore units and reliable equipment and technical knowledge into realistic & innovative ideas The performance of new and existing jack-ups Satellite images have revealed new leaks of fuel oil from two Russian tankers that sank in the Kerch Strait in December 2024 the tankers Volgoneft 239 and Volgoneft 212 broke apart during a severe storm and released large amounts of fuel oil into the waters of Black Sea of Azov while the rest sank to the seabed due to cold temperatures more of the oil that had settled underwater is starting to float to the surface The images recently shared by Ukrainian authorities and Russian scientists show dark slicks near the tanker wreckage site Russian environmentalist Georgy Kavanosyan posted a radar image online showing an oil trail at the entrance to the strait close to the bow section of the sunken Volgoneft 239 estimated that hundreds of litres of fuel oil are now leaking into the sea each day and warned the leakage could continue through the warmer months Environmental groups believe the impact of the spill is already visible along the coasts of occupied Crimea and Russia’s Krasnodar region They expect more fuel oil to reach these shores in April Areas near the Dzhantsheysky and Sasyk estuaries On the beach of Tuzlivski Lymany National Park officials collected up to 4 kilograms of fuel oil while millions of small oil particles remain floating in the Black Sea Russian officials have not started recovery efforts to remove the sunken tankers Authorities say this operation will begin only next year Instead of focusing on a real cleanup plan critics claim the Russian government is trying to show that everything is under control through propaganda One controversial move involves sending thousands of children to the affected area for “rehabilitation,” which environmentalists say is an attempt to distract from the crisis The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations denies any new pollution even after the confirmation of ongoing leaks by environmental experts and satellite data The ministry stated that it is monitoring the wreck sites daily using patrol boats Minister Alexander Kurenkov said divers are regularly inspecting the wrecks and surrounding seabed within a kilometre wide zone from the coast the Russian environmental agency Rosprirodnadzor has filed a lawsuit against the owners of the tankers Kama Shipping and Volgatranseft CFC The agency claims the vessels were operating beyond their technical limits in harsh winter conditions The damages claim amounts to 85 billion rubles (approximately $1 billion) If the companies do not pay within a month the agency plans to take the matter to court Experts believe that cleanup efforts could take at least three years while the full recovery of the Black Sea’s coastline may take anywhere from five to ten years Disclaimer : The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct we make no representations or warranties of any kind suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of Do you have info to share with us ? Suggest a correction Marine Insight News Network is a premier source for up-to-date and insightful coverage of the maritime industry Marine Insight News Network prides itself on delivering accurate Signup today and get maritime ebooks submitted to your inbox directly.  © 2010 - 2025 Marine Insight — All Rights Reserved We respect your privacy and take protecting it very seriously Social media is widely showing pictures of a blazing inferno on a strategic Russian railway Ro-Ro ferry while docked today in Kavkaz port in Crimea Russian media quickly blamed Ukraine which has frequently attacked the port and damaged the same ferry about 12 weeks ago The ferry Conro Trader (4,500 dwt) was built in 1978 by HDW Kiel in Germany and provides a key service moving rail cars with freight into Crimea The vessel was reportedly loaded with up to 30 fuel tanks today when the explosion and fires began The vessel was 358 feet (109 meters) in length Black smoking was billowing over the region and government officials on Telegram reported the vessel later sank at its pier They were working to limit environmental damage Reuters is saying there were 17 crewmembers while Russian media is saying there were five crewmembers Between two and three crewmembers are believed to be missing but the media is saying that the port had been safely evacuated and all port workers were safe The Russian news outlet Tass is saying that the fire was contained to the ship and did not damage other parts of the port The port which is located on the eastern side of the Kerch Strait has been a frequent target of attacks due to its strategic location and role in cargo shipments It lies between the Black Sea and the Azov Sea Ukraine reportedly struck the same ferry causing minor damage Unconfirmed reports said Ukraine used a ballistic missile in the prior attack A month ago, on July 28, Ukraine damaged another critical ferry in the same port at the time was said to be the last large railcar-capable cargo vessel in the region It was recognized as a key component of the Russian munitions supply chain for the occupied Crimean Peninsula there were reports that Russian officials closed the port and suspended traffic on the Crimean Bridge over fears of more attacks A massive oil spill in the Kerch Strait has left Russian beaches coated in fuel oil killing wildlife and prompting an ongoing cleanup involving thousands of volunteers The Associated Press reports. polluting water and creating long-term environmental and health risks a global shipping route and politically contested area Related: How a 2010 oil spill still shapes cleanup strategies today “They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.” by Dmytro BasmatIllustrative image: The Russian-chartered vessel ANSHUN II with "Yokohama" fenders prepared and pipelines connected to receive another tanker and transfer Russian crude oil (Photo credit: Antonio Sempere/Europa Press via Getty Images)The amount of oil spilled in the Kerch Strait by two Russian oil tankers is "significantly less than the initial estimate," Russia's Transport Ministry claimed on Jan Two Russian oil tankers,Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239, suffered severe damage during a storm on Dec. 15. Both vessels were reportedly carrying a total of 9,200 tons of fuel, which began leaking into the Black Sea Russian state news outlet RIA Novosti initially reported that some 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil have spilled into the Kerch Strait, forcing Russia to declare a federal state of emergency in response to the spill Russian scientist Viktor Danilov-Danilyan said in a press conference on Dec. 25 that about 200,000 tons of soil along the Black Sea coast have been contaminated, while Greenpeace Ukraine warned on Dec. 16 that the destruction of the Russian oil tankers could cause "significant" environmental damage Russia's Transport Ministry claimed that only about 2,400 metric tons of oil had spilled citing a skewed account "of one of the tanker captains." The Transport Ministry added that the M100-grade fuel oil spilled into the sea solidifies at a lower temperature thus sinking to the surface instead of remaining at the surface The Kyiv Independent cannot verify claims made by Russian officials Dmytro Basmat is a senior news editor for The Kyiv Independent He previously worked in Canadian politics as a communications lead and spokesperson for a national political party and as a communications assistant for a Canadian Member of Parliament Basmat has a Master's degree in Political Management from Carleton University in Ottawa and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance from Toronto Metropolitan University by Kateryna DenisovaThis picture taken on Oct 2022 shows damaged parts of the Kerch Bridge that links occupied Crimea to Russia (Photo by Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)Russia is reinforcing the Kerch Bridge in occupied Crimea The bridge connects the Russian mainland with the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula and has long been a crucial supply route for the Russian military in Ukraine Construction on the 19-kilometer-long bridge began after the illegal occupation of Crimea in 2014 and was completed in 2018 The bridge was heavily damaged by Ukrainian strikes in October 2022 and July 2023 Russian proxies further fortified the bridge with underwater barriers A floating construction crane was spotted in the Kerch Strait, and the number of barges to protect the bridge from Ukrainian naval drones has increased, the media outlet reported Russia's alternative to the Kerch Bridge, a railroad between Russia's port city Rostov-on-Don and occupied Crimea could a "serious problem," to Kyiv Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany The Kerch Bridge in Crimea and seemingly the Black Sea shipyard were targeted in a Ukrainian attack which was foiled by Russia's Black Sea Fleet's Naval Aviation multiple military bloggers and Moscow have reported Since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Kyiv has consistently zeroed in on Russian assets dotted around Crimea which the Kremlin has controlled for a decade Ukraine has vowed to reclaim the peninsula was closed to traffic in the early hours of Friday morning with explosions near the Zalyv shipyard reported by residents said they suspected Russian ships were being targeted "It's looking like they again targeted Russian vessels in the Zaliv shipyard, near the Kerch bridge," Glasnost Gone posted This likely the work of Ukraine's deadly sea drones." Newsweek has contacted Ukraine's Ministry of Defense via email for comment More details of a Ukrainian attack this morning in occupied #Crimea. It's looking like they again targeted Russian vessels in the Zaliv shipyard, near the Kerch bridge. Explosions heard in the area. This likely the work of Ukraine's deadly sea drones. https://t.co/5N3ETnUZO7 pic.twitter.com/kHJ8iq3BF0 The Kerch Strait's air defense systems were active during the attack the Telegram channel Crimea Realities reported Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and sea drones were reportedly used for the operation which the Russian Defense Ministry said was thwarted by air defense systems and the Black Sea Fleet's Naval Aviation In a statement on Telegram the ministry said: "Over the past night attempts by the Kyiv regime to carry out terrorist attacks using aircraft-type UAVs against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation were thwarted Air defense systems on duty destroyed 33 Ukrainian UAVs "Fourteen UAVs were destroyed over the territory of the Voronezh Region 11 were shot down over the territory of the Kursk Region seven UAVs over the territory of the Belgorod Region and one over the territory of the Republic of Crimea the crews of the Black Sea Fleet's Naval Aviation destroyed two Ukrainian unmanned boats in the Black Sea which were heading towards the Crimean Peninsula." In October, Ukraine launched drone attacks on Russian-controlled Crimea from the air and sea overnight Russian air defenses reportedly intercepted 10 airborne drones over Crimea "destroyed" four Ukrainian waterborne drones which "were heading for the Crimean Peninsula," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement These strikes have forced Russia to relocate some assets from Sevastopol to its mainland Russian base in Novorossiysk further east in the Black Sea and the northwestern region where Kyiv can more easily threaten its naval fleet Russia has attempted to shield its bases from attacks by using barges decoys and false silhouettes to trick or trip up Ukrainian drone operators Moscow announced earlier this year that it would beef up the protection around its fleet with large-caliber machine guns to shoot at incoming naval drones before they strike Russian vessels This was reported by the Crimean Wind Telegram channel, Ukrinform saw. “In Kerch, there is a rumble in the area of ​​the Zalyv Shipyard and some kind of glow is visible in Arshintseve,” the report reads. Later, it was reported that Ukrainian naval drones were trying to make a breakthrough in the Kerch Strait, and that the Russian military was trying to destroy them from the sea, coast, and air. Also, according to the Crimean Wind monitoring group, a powerful e-warfare system has been activated near the Kerch Bridge. “AIS system data is distorted. The location of vessels is supposedly determined on land as they gather in a sort of a whirlpool ", the report says. Earlier, Ukrinform reported that on November 28, in the temporarily occupied Crimea, intelligence operatives destroyed Russia’s low-altitude radar worth $5 million. Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421. © 2015-2025 Ukrinform. All rights reserved. Volga-Bunker seeks money on unpaid S&P transaction for ships built more than 50 years ago A creditor has launched bankruptcy proceedings against the Russian owner of a ship that caused an environmentally disastrous oil spill in the Black Sea last month, government and court documents show. The development, which relates to an alleged debt from well before its vessel ran aground, is reminiscent of a similar chain of events 15 years ago, when a predecessor outfit was rolled up after a similar maritime accident. Creditor Volga-Bunker is chasing tanker owner Volgatransneft for amounts owed, according to the Moscow Arbitration Court and Fedresurs, an official register for corporate legal notices. Specialist Russian maritime website PortNews identifies Volgatransneft as the owner of the 4,800-dwt Volgoneft 239 (built 1973), which ran aground and spilled its cargo in December. According to court documents filed on the official government websites, Volga-Bunker is seeking RUB 6.5m ($63,000) from Volgatransneft following a fleet sale between the two companies more than two years ago. In the deal concluded on 23 June 2022, Volga-Bunker sold six elderly vessels to Volgatransneft: the 4,190-dwt Volgoneft 164, Volgoneft 208, Volgoneft 219 (all built 1970), 5,900-dwt Volgoneft 206 (built 1969), 4,200-dwt Volgoneft 246 (built 1975) and 3,475-gt Volgoneft 264 (built 1978). No lawyer came forward to defend Volgatransneft at a hearing at the Moscow Arbitration Court in January 2024, which eventually ruled against the company and ordered it to pay the amount owed. Volga-Bunker pressed its case further after Volgatransneft apparently failed to comply with the ruling, documents show. In a motion filed with the Fedresurs registry on 13 January, Volga-Bunker notified that it would return to the Moscow Arbitration Court with a demand to declare Volgatransneft in a state of bankruptcy. TradeWinds was unable to find contact information for the tanker owner. The case would not be the first time that an owner of older Volgoneft vessels has faced bankruptcy proceedings after an oil spill. In March 2008, the Moscow Arbitration Court declared Volzhski Oil Shipping Co (Volgotanker) bankrupt over a tax and fraud case pending since 2004. Four months before that ruling, Volgotanker’s 4,190-dwt Volgoneft 139 (built 1978) broke its back in the Kerch Strait, spilling up to 2,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and polluting 250 km of coastline in Russia and Ukraine. This sequence of events is similar to the one still unfolding in the case of the 4,800-dwt Volgoneft 212 (built 1969) and the Volgoneft 239, which spilled their cargo into the Kerch Strait on 15 December 2024. The Volgoneft 212 broke up and sank during a fierce storm in the area connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, dragging down one seafarer with it. The Volgoneft 239 managed to stay afloat in the same storm, even though its stern ran aground and the ship started leaking near Cape Panagia. Databases list both ships as controlled by Volgotanker. Their actual ownership is murky following that company’s bankruptcy and subsequent attempts to sell down its assets. The latest Volgoneft oil spills sent Russian authorities scurrying to undo the damage. Several regional administrations, from Krasnodar to Russian-occupied Crimea, declared a state of emergency and sent teams to clean up beaches. In addition, a road was built to improve land access to the grounding site of the Volgoneft 239. The Krasnodar administration said on 14 January that it was building a 400-metre containment barrier around the ship to prevent further oil spills. A local prosecutor is investigating possible criminal charges. Tankers of the Volgoneft series are usually employed in inland rivers. According to local media, the investigation is focused on why the two stricken vessels were operating in the Kerch Strait instead, in severe weather conditions. Authorities in Ukraine, a neighbouring country that Russia is at war with, expressed concern as well. DN Media Group is the leading news provider in the shipping, seafood, and energy industries, with a number of English- and Norwegian-language news publications across a variety of sectors. Read more about DN Media Group here. TradeWinds is part of NHST Global Publications AS and we are responsible for the data that you register with us, and the data we collect when you visit our websites. We use cookies in a variety of ways to improve your experience, such as keeping NHST websites reliable and secure, personalising content and ads and to analyse how our sites are being used. For more information and how to manage your privacy settings, please refer to our privacy and cookie policies. Volgotanker sister ships had been in distress in violent Black Sea storm A small Russian tanker has sunk in the Kerch Strait during a violent Black Sea storm, killing one seafarer and causing an oil spill. The Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport (Rosmorrechflot) identified the vessel as the Volgoneft 212. Russian news agency Ria Novosti, citing official sources, said a second vessel in distress, the Volgoneft 239, was drifting and ran aground about 80 metres from the shore near the port of Taman. The Equasis data platform does not feature ships under these names. However, the vessels are listed on MarineTraffic without IMO ship identification numbers but with Maritime Mobile Service Identity (IMMS) identifiers assigned. Their names suggest they belong to Russian firm Volgotanker, which owns about 40 vessels called Volgoneft under several different numbers. The Samara-based company is known to store and transport oil products along the Black Sea coast and Russia’s inland waterways. Almost all Volgotanker ships are old, small clean tankers with a capacity of about 4,000 dwt or 5,000 dwt, built between 1966 and 1990. According to Rosmorrechflot, there were 29 seafarers on board the Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 during Sunday’s incident. Thirteen seafarers have been evacuated from the Volgoneft 212, including one dead person, according to Tass news agency. At least eight had to be lifted from the water and two are said to be hospitalised in serious condition with hypothermia. Evacuation is underway for the crew of the Volgoneft 239, which was previously reported to be still on board and maintaining radio contact. “The accident resulted in a spill of oil products,” Rosmorrechflot said. The extent of the oil spill is still under investigation, authorities told Ria Novosti. Local prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into the incidents, suspecting a violation of safety regulations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Tass that the country’s president, Vladimir Putin, gave instructions to coordinate a rescue operation. The Kerch Strait is a hotspot for opaque vessel movements. It links the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, which came under Moscow’s full control after Russia invaded Ukraine nearly three years ago. The Kerch bridge linking mainland Russia to Russian-annexed Crimea is a frequent target of Ukrainian missiles and drones. Old, small ships are regularly lost across the Black Sea as a result of the region’s violent storms. by The Kyiv Independent news deskThe view of the Port Kavkaz harbor (Solundir/Wikipedia)Ukraine's navy has confirmed the sinking of a Russian ferry called the Conro Trader at the Kavkaz port in Russia's Krasnodar Krai on Aug Speaking to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on Aug. 23, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, said the vessel was used to transport fuel and weapons to Russian forces this is a completely legitimate target," he said Pletenchuk did not specify which weapons were used in the attack The Kavkaz port, located on the Chushka Spit in the Kerch Strait, is one of Russia's largest passenger ports. Its main task is to serve the Kerch ferry crossing in Russian-occupied Crimea The Crimean Wind Telegram channel on Aug. 22 published photos and videos showing smoke rising over the Taman Peninsula in Krasnodar Krai Soon after the attack, the ferry in a Russian port sank adding there were 30 fuel tankers onboard at the moment of the strike Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has regularly launched attacks on occupied Crimea as well as neighboring Krasnodar Krai. Kyiv has struck ferry crossings between occupied Crimea and Russia's Krasnodar Krai several times Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in early August that Ukraine is working on a "complex solution" that could destroy the illegally constructed Kerch Bridge in the coming months Pletenchuk said in June that destroying the Kerch Bridge now would not have the same effect because Russia barely uses it for military purposes anymore The bridge accounts for less than a quarter of the total transiting cargo, and for the rest, Russia uses a ferry crossing in Kerch, Pletenchuk said. We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. An emergency task force arrived in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region on Sunday as an oil spill in the Kerch Strait from two storm-stricken tankers continues to spread a month after it was first detected The task force, which includes Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov, was set up after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called on authorities to ramp up the response to the spill calling it “one of the most serious environmental challenges we have faced in recent years." The Emergencies Ministry said Saturday that over 155,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil had been collected since oil spilled out of two tankers during a storm four weeks ago in the Kerch Strait which separates the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from the Krasnodar region Russian-installed officials in Ukraine’s partially Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region said Saturday that the mazut — a heavy low-quality oil product — had reached the Berdyansk Spit some 145 kilometers (90 miles) north of the Kerch Strait It contaminated an area 14 1/2-kilometer (9-mile) long Russian-appointed officials in Moscow-occupied Crimea announced a regional emergency last weekend after oil was detected on the shores of Sevastopol about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Kerch Strait Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi accused Russia of “beginning to demonstrate its alleged ‘concern’ (only) after the scale of the disaster became too obvious to conceal its terrible consequences.” and ultimately leaving the entire Black Sea region alone with the consequences is yet another proof of its international irresponsibility,” Tykhyi said Friday The Kerch Strait is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the inland Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, described the oil spill last month as a “large-scale environmental disaster” and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers. 4300 tones of fuel oil and possibly other oil products are now being spilling into the waters of the Kerch Strait (connecting Black sea and Azov Sea) as a result of two fuel tankers hit by the storm Both russian tankers were on the way to deliver fuel for russian navy with the Marine Traffic location system being switched off for 12 days already (tracking data from October 1st shown that the delivery route starts from Volgograd and ends in Kerch strait) then it will cause fouling of the shoreline which will be extremely difficult to clean up Any environmental impact will depend on the type of oil spilled then there is the potential for releases of oil and petrochemicals over a longer time span.” – says Dr.Paul Johnston This region has already suffered from an oil spill in 2007 when  1.2k tones of oil spilled from one russian ranker combined with other contamination It resulted in severe damage of the environment Greenpeace Ukraine will continue monitoring the situation heavy fuel oil (mazut) from the tankers that sank on Sunday has begun washing up on the shores of the Black Sea coast Please select which cookies you are willing to store These cookies are required for technical reasons so that you can visit our website and use the functions we offer These cookies are used to recognise you between successive visits and thus provide you with a better experience storing your consent preferences and the last Greenpeace.org website visited We use tracking and analysis tools to ensure continuous optimisation and demand-oriented design of our website These cookies will allow us to collect statistical and anonymised data such as how visitors use our website or which pages are accessed most frequently to ultimately improve Greenpeace.org and provide you with a better experience of our website In addition to the Performance cookies mentioned above we may also place in your browser cookies from third-party services (e.g Facebook or Google) to track the effectiveness of our online marketing strategies and to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests These cookies may also be used to serve advertising to you after you have left our site (retargeting cookies) Isabel van Brugen is a Newsweek Reporter based in Kuala Lumpur Her focus is reporting on the Russia-Ukraine war Isabel joined Newsweek in 2021 and had previously worked with news outlets including the Daily Express You can get in touch with Isabel by emailing i.vanbrugen@newsweek.com or by following her on X @isabelvanbrugen a strategically vital structure used by Russia to connect with occupied Crimea is in need of urgent repairs and cannot survive structural damage according to a Crimean-based pro-Ukrainian group "The Kerch Bridge is living its final days," Atesh, a pro-Kyiv military partisan group of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, said in a post on Telegram on Sunday The bridge, opened in 2018 by Russian President Vladimir Putin serves as a critical supply route for Russia's forces and is crucial to sustaining Moscow's military offensives in southern Ukraine Ukraine struck the 19-kilometer (nearly 12-mile) road and rail bridge in October 2022 and again in July 2023 Kyiv has vowed future strikes on the structure as it seeks to recapture the peninsula Russia has since attempted to fortify the bridge with underwater barriers Recent reports suggest Moscow has also redeployed air defense systems to shield it from Ukrainian attacks the structural elements of the bridge are degrading leading to the crumbling of its parts," the group said "The attitude toward its condition is becoming increasingly dismissive Atesh also claimed that the number of air defense systems in occupied Crimea is decreasing "which makes the bridge even more vulnerable." Newsweek could not independently verify the claims and has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry via email for comment In July, the partisan group said Russia had begun to redeploy its air defenses to protect the Kerch Bridge Moscow is "actively redeploying the surviving air defense installations radars and all military facilities from the western part of Crimea," it said at the time Crimean Wind, a pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel, separately said on August 28 that Russia had deployed one of its Pantsir-S1 air defense systems to defend the structure It published satellite imagery of the air defense system "Russia has placed a Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile system right on the Kerch Bridge It has been visible on satellite images for at least a month," Crimean Wind said Newsweek could not independently verify the images Russia's Pantsir-S1 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and missile system is designed for use against aircraft, cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions and for supporting other air defense units against larger strikes. It is believed to be worth in the area of $15 million Ukraine's most recent attack on the bridge in July 2023 damaged its crucial railway contrary to Russian claims at the time that the attack affected only the roadway on spans of the structure satellite photos obtained by Newsweek revealed A spokesperson for Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said in April that another strike on the bridge was "inevitable." Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war