World · Europe · 9 hrs ago
Russian court orders Volgoneft tanker owners to pay 34.2 billion rubles
In December 2024, two Volgoneft tankers sank in the Kerch Strait, spilling fuel oil into the Black Sea.
The spill reached coastlines in Crimea and Russia’s Krasnodar region, including areas near Anapa.
A court in Krasnodar region ordered the tankers’ owners and charterers to pay about 34.2 billion rubles for environmental damage.
The court decision says 13,524 birds died, including 1,022 from species listed in Russia’s Red Book of endangered species.
Most of the compensation is for damage to wildlife and habitats, while bird deaths were assessed at about 93.6 million rubles.
Russia’s Natural Resources Ministry says birds are still dying, and the sources do not say whether the companies will appeal this latest ruling.
A Krasnodar regional court ordered owners of the Volgoneft tankers to pay about 34.2 billion rubles for environmental damage from an oil spill in the Black Sea.
The court decision says 13,524 birds died after the tankers sank in December 2024.
More than 1,000 of the dead birds belonged to species listed in Russia’s Red Book.
Most of the compensation was for damage to wildlife and habitats in the Anapa and Temryuk districts and near Novorossiysk.
Reports give differing totals for the award, ranging from 34.2 billion to about 34.3 billion rubles.
- Who
- The owners and charterers of the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 tankers.
- What
- A court ordered them to pay about 34.2 billion rubles in environmental damages.
- When
- The court decision was dated October 15, 2026; the tankers sank in December 2024.
- Where
- The Kerch Strait and the Black Sea coast, including areas near Anapa, Temryuk and Novorossiysk.
- Why
- The court found that the tanker disaster and resulting oil spill caused environmental damage, including the deaths of 13,524 birds.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 tankers sank in the Kerch Strait during a storm.
The Krasnodar regional court issued its decision on compensation for environmental damage.
News outlets reported the court decision and the number of birds that died.
- Court award
- About 34.2 billion rubles; reports give totals from 34.2 billion to about 34.3 billion rubles
- Bird deaths
- 13,524
- Red Book species
- 1,022 birds across nine species
- Bird-related damages
- About 93.6 million rubles
- Tankers
- Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239
- Disaster location
- Kerch Strait
3 sources
Судовладельцев танкеров "Волгонефть" обязали выплатить еще 34 млрд рублей за разлив нефти в Черном море
Почти 14 тысяч птиц погибли из-за разлива мазута после катастрофы танкеров «Волгонефть» на Кубани. Больше тысячи относятся к краснокнижным видамnull — Новая Газета
Более 13 тысяч птиц погибли из-за разлива мазута в Черном море