Russian officials continued the oil spill cleanup in the Kerch Strait.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations (MChS) said on March 28 that it is actively working to remove oil products from the area.

Authorities reported that more than 418 kilometres of shoreline had been cleaned since the operation began. Workers collected over 153,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil, with more than 112,000 tons moved to temporary storage sites.

In Anapa and Temryuk District beaches, MChS divers conducted 1,811 descents across 19 sites, surveying nearly 3,000 square metres of the seabed. Divers gathered more than 3,600 bags of oil-contaminated waste.

Unmanned underwater vehicles were also employed, surveying 6,200 square metres of the seafloor to assist with the cleanup.

Krasnodar Krai has 265 kilometres of shoreline under inspection, with 151,400 tons of polluted sand, soil, and pebbles collected.

Crimea's coastline, spanning 525.4 kilometres, is being assessed, with more than 232 kilometres already cleaned. Over 796 tons of contaminated sand and soil have been removed.

In Sevastopol, 165 kilometres of shoreline are being examined, and 842.4 tons of polluted sand and soil have been collected and removed.

On December 15, 2024, two Russian oil tankers, the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, were severely damaged during a storm in the Kerch Strait, spilling around 2,400 metric tons of oil products into the Black Sea.

The incident has led to extensive environmental damage, prompting cleanup efforts and the formation of an emergency task force to address the spill's impact.