Social media users ridiculed Kondratyev's comments about fuel oil on beaches.

Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev commented on the summer vacation season, stating that fuel oil on the beaches "has always been there." Telegram users found the regional governor's reasoning absurd.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," three officials assured the safety of Anapa's beaches on June 6, comparing them to the French Riviera and the sand to Thailand. The officials' claims are unsubstantiated, and the prolonged sanding is discouraging tourists, Telegram users noted. The following day, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister announced that a decision on opening Anapa's beaches could be made on June 15.

Kondratyev's video commentary on the resort season in the Krasnodar Territory was published today by Kremlin journalist Alexander Yunashev on his Telegram channel.

A reporter asked the official "what's going on with the summer vacation season," mentioning "problems on some beaches" and fuel oil. Kondratyev responded by stating that the resort season "has begun" and "will continue."

When asked further about fuel oil, the head of the region stated that the problem is not new, and that estimates of its scale are subjective. "In my childhood, and in yours, there was always fuel oil. The only question is how much each person sees. Some see a little bit and say, 'Wow, there's a lot of it!' But in reality, there isn't any, but some want to see it," the governor stated.

He added that there are already many vacationers in Anapa and they have not received any complaints about fuel oil.

“If there had been fuel oil there, believe me, a huge number of vacationers from Anapa would have written about it by now. Or they would have simply urged other vacationers not to go to Anapa. But that's not the case. So, what everyone's talking about, and someone, somewhere, is trying to do something... is all untrue,” Kondratyev concluded.

“A philosophy worthy of Berkeley: if officials aren't monitoring fuel oil, does it even exist?” Denis Kurenov, editor of Yug.ru, commented on the governor's logic.

Readers of the SHOT Telegram channel sarcastically commented on Kondratyev's reasoning. "2030: The Apocalypse Won't Stop the Resort Season in Krasnodar Krai," wrote Tony.

"He's absolutely right. If you close your eyes, no one can see you, right? Right? Right?" Andrey quipped. "A complete environmental disaster has occurred there, and the consequences will persist for another 20 years. A real tip of the day (...), let's all close our eyes," Anna fumed.

"What a wonderful governor and responsible leader! How lucky the residents of Krasnodar Krai are!! It's a good thing I don't live in Krasnodar Krai," remarked Kirill. "It's scary with people like that in power: they can even say this about radiation: you can't see radiation, which means it doesn't exist; and even if they do see it, the only question is who and how much," says Andrey.

"So, the beaches are dirty, the governor confirmed," concluded Alexandr Perov. "I thought it was rock bottom, but they've broken through," said Babich Eva.

"The season in Krasnodar Krai hasn't started yet, and I doubt there will be one at all," asserts 469345.

The Kuban task force reported today that in Anapa, "4.5 km of sandy beaches, as well as all the pebble beaches, are accessible for swimming." "The resort has completed the restoration of all beaches between the Bimlyuk and Ryabinushka sanatoriums, and active work is underway from the Ryabinushka sanatorium to the Okhta beach. After backfilling, the imported sand is harrowed, loosened, and sifted, saturating it with oxygen," according to a post on the official Telegram channel.

On June 1, Rosprirodnadzor (the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources) did not confirm that all 4.5 km of sandy beaches—from the medical beach to the Bimlyuk sanatorium and the pebble beaches from the village of Utrish to Anapa's central beach—had received a sanitary and epidemiological certificate, Kuban journalist Andrey Koshik wrote on his Telegram channel.

The resort season in Anapa opened amid a sharp contrast in the condition of the coastline. Some beaches are open and considered safe, while others are closed due to erosion, unstable soil, and environmental risks. Which beaches are ready for visitors and which are dangerous is described in the Caucasian Knot report "Anapa Beaches: Open and Dangerous Zones".

On December 15, 2024, two tankers carrying fuel oil sank in the Kerch Strait. A crew member of one of the tankers died as a result. Additionally, an oil spill occurred, leading to catastrophic environmental consequences, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Fuel Oil Spill in the Kerch Strait".

Materials on the consequences of the fuel oil spill have been collected by the "Caucasian Knot" on the page "Eco-disaster in Kuban".