Oil leakage halted along Anapa coast from August 5 to 11; no fresh spills reported during that period.
The cleanup operation, which has been ongoing for at least a week, is making significant progress in the Anapa region, according to the Krasnodar Krai operational headquarters. The operation, focused on eliminating the aftermath of a previous oil spill, has seen nearly 200,000 metric tons of contaminated sand removed and over 500 kilometers (310 miles) of coastline cleaned since the December 2024 incident caused by the sinking of two tankers releasing over 4,000 tons of fuel oil.
Divers have made over 15,000 descents, examined more than 8.5 million square meters of seabed, and collected over 16,000 bags of oil-containing waste from the seabed. For instance, between July 31 and August 8, 2025, 821 bags of fuel oil residues were retrieved from the seabed around Anapa.
Authorities have scheduled further containment measures, such as installing watertight barriers on the sunken Volgoneft-212 tanker to prevent further leakage, with work planned to begin in October 2025. However, some reports indicate ongoing minor seepage from the sunken vessels, posing lasting environmental risks.
The environmental damage has severely impacted the local economy, with Anapa's tourism industry experiencing drastic declines in visitor numbers and hotel occupancy. The swimming ban on affected beaches remains in place due to contamination concerns and ongoing cleanup.
The cleanup operation is not only focused on the environment but also on assisting the resort. The closure of dozens of cafeterias and restaurants in Anapa at the beginning of August was due to the oil spill incident. The focus of the cleanup operation has expanded to include assistance to the resort, aiming to help the city recover from the economic impact of the spill.
Daily monitoring of the coastline in Anapa was conducted from August 5 to 11, with no new oil slicks found. The municipal team from Seversky District is currently participating in the cleanup of the oil spill aftermath.
Despite the progress made, full environmental recovery and economic normalization remain a challenge. The efforts reflect a sustained, large-scale response to the spill, yet much work still needs to be done.
- The ongoing cleanup operation in the Anapa region, initiated due to an oil spill incident in December 2024, involves not only environmental science but also necessitates industrial and financial resources to ensure full recovery and economic normalization.
- In the aftermath of the oil spill, the sinking of two tankers released over 4,000 tons of fuel oil, contaminating 500 kilometers (310 miles) of coastline and causing severe damage to the local environmental-science and tourism-related industry of Anapa.
- The oil spill incident in Anapa has affected multiple sectors, including the energy industry, as the cleanup operation requires the removal of oil-containing waste from the seabed and ongoing containment measures to prevent further leakage from the sunken vessels.
