Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that more needed to be done to clean up an oil spill in the Black Sea, saying efforts so far appeared to have been insufficient to deal with the ecological disaster.

An oil spill crisis has led to a regional state of emergency in Crimea. The situation arose from leaked oil from ageing tankers following a storm, affecting coastal areas and wildlife. Over 86,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil have been cleared,

Authorities estimate the tankers were carrying 9,200 tons of fuel oil, of which approximately 40% potentially leaked into the sea. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov described the situation as "truly critical.

Russia declared a regional state of emergency on Saturday in Crimea, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, as workers cleared tons of contaminated sand and earth on either side of the Kerch Strait following an oil spill in the Black Sea last month.

Authorities in Crimea have declared a regional emergency after oil from storm-damaged tankers reached the shores of Sevastopol the peninsula largest city and a key strategic location

Released January 4, 2025 Russia declared a regional state of emergency in Crimea on Saturday, as workers cleared tons of contaminated sand on either side of the Kerch Strait following an oil spill in the Black Sea last month.

Russia declared a state of emergency in Crimea following an oil spill in the Black Sea. Contaminated sand and soil are being cleared after the spill from two ageing tankers. Over 10,000 people are involved in cleanup efforts,