CNN —Volunteers helping to clean up the oil spill on Russia’s Black Sea coast are appealing to Russian President Vladimir Putin for more assistance, as they grapple with environmental havoc across more than 35 miles of coastline.
Two Russian tankers carrying thousands of tons of fuel were badly damaged in stormy weather near the Black Sea earlier this month, leading to an oil spill, according to Russian state media.
Putin last week labelled the spill an “environmental disaster.”At least 3,700 tons of heavy oil were spilled, though the actual volume may be higher, according to Greenpeace Ukraine.
Volunteers work to clear spilled oil on the Russian coastline in the Kerch Strait, near the Black Sea resort of Anapa on December 21.
Sergey Pivovarov/ReutersA volunteer cleans a bird in the Russian village of Vityazevo on December 20, following the oil spill.
Persons:
Vladimir Putin, Putin, Sergey Pivovarov, ”
Organizations:
CNN — Volunteers, TASS, Greenpeace, Volunteers, Reuters, Russia’s
Locations:
Kerch, Russia, Crimea, Greenpeace Ukraine, Russia’s Krasnodar, Anapa, Russian, Vityazevo