Urgent Plea: Volunteers Seek Federal Aid for Black Sea Oil Spill Disaster

Volunteers cleaning a major oil spill on Russia's Black Sea coast seek urgent federal aid via video, overwhelmed by pollution affecting wildlife. President Putin terms it an ecological disaster. The incident involves two tankers worsened by storms, with local resources struggling to manage the crisis effectively.

Volunteers battling a massive oil spill along Russia's Black Sea coast have issued an urgent video plea for federal assistance, highlighting their struggle to cope with the disaster's scale. The spill, following damage to two ageing tankers, has heavily polluted the beaches at Anapa, affecting wildlife such as dolphins.

Despite President Vladimir Putin's acknowledgment of the situation as an ecological disaster, cleanup efforts involving over 10,000 people are deemed insufficient by local volunteers. They have called for specialized aid and professional manpower, criticizing the reliance on volunteer efforts armed only with shovels.

Challenges persist as stormy weather complicates clean-up operations, and oil continues to reach the shores, despite preventive measures. State television reports highlight continued environmental impact with several dead dolphins and pollution re-distribution due to adverse weather conditions.

(With inputs from agencies.)