Svetlana Grinchuk announced collaborative efforts with partners to address the major ecological disaster in the Black Sea.

Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria have agreed at the ministerial level on collaborative steps to engage with international institutions regarding the large-scale environmental disaster in the Black Sea, caused by oil pollution.

An online meeting was held with Romania's Minister of Environment, Waters, and Forests, Mircea Fechet, and the Acting Minister of Environment and Water of Bulgaria, Petar Dimitrov. They stated that the lack of verified data concerning the accident involving Russian tankers on December 15, 2024, and the subsequent spread of oil in the Black Sea remains a significant issue. We can only access information about this situation through local media from Crimea and a limited number of satellite images.

Currently, the images show that oil pollution from Russia has reached the city of Evpatoria. UkrNCEAM continues to monitor the development of the emergency situation using available resources.

The colleagues emphasized that our cooperation is not merely a service for Ukraine but a shared responsibility. The Black Sea connects several European countries. Although mathematical models do not indicate the spill moving westward, the consequences of the Russian tankers' accident pose risks for the entire Black Sea. This includes dozens of kilometers of oil slick on the water's surface extending into the depths of the Black Sea, thousands of kilometers of contaminated coastline, thousands of dead birds, and dozens of dolphins, disrupting food chains in ecosystems. According to preliminary estimates from eco-inspectors, the oil leak has caused material damage to the Black Sea ecosystem amounting to over $14 billion.

Separately, they agreed to coordinate joint efforts to limit the entry of outdated Russian vessels into the Black Sea, which pose potential threats to the marine ecosystem.

Ukraine has already reached out to the relevant secretariats of UN conventions, UNEP, UNESCO, the European Union, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding this matter. We have received feedback from the Secretariat of the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution about the necessity of holding an extraordinary meeting to address this case. Additionally, on January 27 of this year, the issue will be discussed at a meeting of the IMO Sub-Committee on the Prevention of Pollution.

We continue our observations, prepare an appeal to the European Commission, and await a strong response from the global community. This is not the first similar situation involving Russian tankers. The Russian Federation ignores international maritime law. To overlook this accident now means allowing its recurrence in the future.