Black Sea tankers wreck: IMO holds Russia responsible

Ukrainska Pravda reported that at a session held in late January in the UK, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) accused Russia of negligence in the sinking of oil tankers in the Black Sea. It called on Moscow to take all necessary measures to prevent further environmental damage. The issue was discussed during a subcommittee meeting on pollution prevention and response, where Ukraine presented evidence of severe ecological consequences caused by the spill.  

According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, the disaster resulted in the deaths of over 700 seabirds and 61 dolphins due to toxic oil exposure. 

Ukrainian representatives stressed that the incident constituted a violation of international law and urged the IMO to hold Russia accountable. Delegations from Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway, the UK, the US, and the European Union supported Ukraine, condemning Russia’s actions and attributing the accident to its failure to comply with maritime safety regulations.  

The environmental disaster began in late 2024 when two Russian oil tankers broke apart in the Kerch Strait, releasing approximately 4,300 tons of oil into the Black Sea. By early January 2025, oil slicks had spread to Crimea’s shores, forming patches up to 15 kilometers long, and later reached the coast of the Azov Sea. In Ukraine’s Odesa region, seabirds covered in oil were discovered, with at least one confirmed fatality. Environmental activists, including Greenpeace Ukraine, warned that Russia’s militarization of the Black and Azov Seas continues to contribute to ecological crises in the region.

• As part of the sanctions against Russia announced on January 10, the United States for the first time imposed restrictions on 6 Russian oil tankers that are still under construction.