10 Dolphins Found Dead on Black Sea Coast After Russian Tanker Oil Spill

The Russian Dolphin Rescue Center ‘Delphacenter’ reported the death of at least 10 dolphins, likely due to an oil spill following the collision of two Russian tankers, on December 23.

From December 15, when the accident occurred, to December 22, 10 Azov Sea dolphins were found dead, with the spill suspected as the cause.

On December 22, 8 dead dolphins were discovered near Novorossiysk, 60–70 kilometers from Anapa in Krasnodar Krai, with 6 on the shore and two in the water. One dead dolphin was found near the village of Blagoveshchensk, showing traces of oil on its body and in its airways.

Ecologists have classified this as a mass die-off and collected samples for further analysis.

The Azov Sea dolphin, a subspecies living in small groups of up to 10, is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a species facing danger and is listed in Ukraine's Red Book.

On December 15, reports emerged of two Volgoneft-class tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, sinking in the Kerch Strait while carrying oil products. According to Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk on December 16, the tankers had violated navigation regulations.

Greenpeace Ukraine later warned that the incidents could lead to the release of up to 4,300 tons of fuel oil and other petroleum products into the water. By December 17, regional authorities reported patches of oil washing ashore along southern Russia's Black Sea coast, two days after the two Russian-flagged tankers were damaged.