A leak from the sunken tankers near Anapa is being recorded after the report on the completion of the pumping of fuel oil.

Satellite images showed oil slicks in the areas of the sunken stern of "Volgoneft-212" and the bow of "Volgoneft-239". This may be related to the inability to completely pump out the oil products, noted the satellite monitoring project.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on August 21, the authorities reported the completion of the pumping of fuel oil from the sunken tankers "Volgoneft-212" and "Volgoneft-239" in the Kerch Strait. At that time, the authorities stated that no new oil product discharges had been recorded along the coastline. Scientists discovered oil products in the bottom sediments near Dzhemete, and in Tuapse – on the piers, pebbles, in the river, and riverside vegetation.

Satellite images from Sentinel-2 on August 20 and Planet on August 25 recorded oil slicks in the areas of the sunken stern of "VN-212" and the bow of "VN-239". Oil products are spreading in the southwest and southeast directions under the influence of prevailing winds and currents. No pollution is recorded above the bow of "Volgoneft-212", noted the Sky Eye project.

"Apparently, the completion of the pumping of fuel oil announced by the commission simply means the cessation of work and is not equivalent to the termination of the oil product leak from the tankers. This may be related to the technical impossibility of removing fuel oil from the tankers down to the last liters," the publication states.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that according to the results of another monitoring, scientists did not find elevated levels of oil products in the water near Anapa, however, social media users questioned these conclusions, pointing to traces of fuel oil on the coast. On August 19, satellite imagery from Planet showed the continuation of the oil product leak from fragments of the sunken tankers in the Kerch Strait.

On December 15, 2024, two tankers carrying fuel oil sank in the Kerch Strait. As a result, a crew member of one of the tankers died. In addition, there was a spill of oil products, leading to catastrophic environmental consequences, according to the report from "Caucasian Knot" "Fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait". Materials on the consequences of the fuel oil spill have been collected by "Caucasian Knot" on the page "Ecological disaster in Kuban".