Fuel oil from Russian tankers reached the shores of Odesa.

As a result of the accident involving Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait, fuel oil has reached the shores of Odesa. This was reported by Ivan Rusev, Doctor of Biological Sciences and Head of the Research Department of the Tuzly Limans National Park.

According to him, after storms, fuel oil reached the sandy spit in the recreational area of Katranka near the Danube Biosphere Reserve and the Tuzly Limans National Nature Park.

Rusev noted that the consequences of this ecological disaster could be irreversible for the biodiversity of the Black Sea.

Fuel oil from sunken Russian tankers in the Kerch Strait has reached the coast of Odesa It was recorded after storms on the sandy spit near the recreational area 'Katranka', near the Danube Biosphere Reserve and the Tuzly Limans National Nature Park. pic.twitter.com/Nfw5REJH3w

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The scientist reported that earlier a bird covered in fuel oil was found and sent for research to the Ukrainian Marine Ecology Center. However, the Center refused to take the bird for research due to concerns about bird flu contamination.

Rusev questioned the readiness of the authorities of the Odesa region to respond to ecological challenges posed by the Russian Federation in the Black Sea. It was noted that the team of the national park is surveying various sections of the spit and will soon inform about the scale of the pollution.

On January 10, polluted birds were found in the Tuzly Limans National Park. This was a result of oil product spills following the tankers' accident in the Kerch Strait.

In December, two Russian tankers sank, resulting in 8,600 tons of fuel oil entering the sea. According to the forecasts of ecologists, the fuel oil stain may reach the shores of Odesa and Mykolaiv regions in the coming weeks.

In this regard, specialists will not be able to eliminate the pollution until it reaches the land.