Fuel from Russian tankers has reached the shores of the Sea of Azov, as shown in a satellite image.

The oil spilled as a result of the accident involving Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait has reached the shores of Ukraine in the Sea of Azov. Satellite images have captured an oil slick near the occupied city of Berdyansk.

This information is reported by RBK-Ukraine citing a post from the Mariupol City Council on Telegram.

It is noted that an oil product slick measuring 300 square kilometers has been detected in the Sea of Azov. Previously, the occupiers reported contaminated areas along the Berdyansk coastline extending over 14 km.

"Considering the currents and wind directions, it is likely that the oil will drift further towards Mariupol," the message states.

According to the Center for Journalistic Investigations, as of January 11, the slick was located 10 km south of the Berdyansk Spit and stretched almost 100 km along the Belosaraysk Spit. There is also a chance that the oil will drift westward towards the Arabat Spit.

Satellite images from Sentinel-2 clearly show how the slick reached the Berdyansk Spit on January 10, 2025. The following day, the occupying authorities in the Zaporizhzhia region confirmed the oil spill in Berdyansk and reported a small area of contamination on the Peresyp Spit.

Photo: satellite image of the Azov coast near Berdyansk (investigator.org.ua)

The occupiers' data on coastline pollution may be underestimated, similar to what happens in Crimea. It is likely that new oil spills in the Northern Azov region should be expected soon.

Oil Spill in the Kerch Strait

In mid-December, two Russian tankers sank in the Kerch Strait due to a severe storm. Initially, the oil slicks were drifting towards the Russian coast, but over time they began to approach the shores of the occupied territories of Ukraine.

According to estimates from "Greenpeace Ukraine," approximately 4,300 tons of oil have entered the sea. The occupiers have yet to eliminate the consequences.

For more details, read the article by RBK-Ukraine "Black Tide." What happened to the Russian tankers near Crimea and are there threats to Ukraine?"

Recall that earlier in occupied Crimea, 13 new pollution hotspots were discovered in Kerch, the Lenin, Saki, and Chornomorsk districts.

Ukraine's Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Svitlana Hrynchuk, stated that there is currently no threat to the Odessa coastline. However, due to the spill, more than 15,000 birds and 30 dolphins have already died in the Black Sea ecosystem.