Press Release, 27.04.2026

Photo: Oil spill in the Black Sea near the city beach in Tuapse, 25 April 2026 / Photo by Bereg

Yabloko Chairman Nikolai Rybakov has sent the corresponding appeal to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. In his letter, Rybakov stated that the fire at the marine terminal, the oil spill, and the ensuing contamination of the Tuapse river, the Black Sea, the urban environment, and residential areas constituted not a local problem but a federal-level environmental disaster threatening the health of thousands of people and the unique ecosystem of the Black Sea.

Rybakov stated that, according to information received from residents, widespread contamination of buildings, vehicles, courtyards, and vegetation by soot and oily deposits had been recorded in residential districts of Tuapse.

Residents reported a sharp chemical smell, throat irritation, headaches, nausea, and irritation of the mucous membranes. Particular concern was raised by the condition of stray animals and the appearance of oil product residue even at a distance from the shoreline — in courtyards and places of everyday use.

“In effect, the residents of Tuapse have found themselves in conditions of constant uncertainty: people do not understand how safe it is to be outdoors, whether water is safe to use, how to protect their children, elderly relatives, and themselves, or where to turn for medical assistance and compensation for damages,” Rybakov emphasised.

He further noted that the combustion and evaporation products of oil compounds might contain toxic substances, including benzene, xylene, toluene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other compounds hazardous to human health. For children, elderly people, pregnant women, and citizens with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, even short-term exposure to such factors could have serious consequences. The potential harm, moreover, might manifest not only immediately but also in the long term.

“The situation is compounded by the entry of oil products into the Tuapse river and the waters of the Black Sea. This poses a direct threat to the marine ecosystem, the coastline, biological resources, and fish spawning grounds. There is also a risk of contamination of aquifer horizons, which could jeopardise the population’s access to safe drinking water,” the Yabloko Chairman added.

Yabloko considers it unacceptable to leave the management of the consequences of such a disaster to the local and regional level. The scale of what has occurred demands federal coordination and federal resources.

Rybakov emphasised that in “such situations, delays, insufficient transparency of information, and attempts to present what is happening as a local problem inevitably lead to an increase in actual harm to people”. The state must act immediately and systematically.

In this connection, the Yabloko party demands the following:

• that the situation be placed under the direct oversight of the Russian Government, with a coordination mechanism established involving the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Rosprirodnadzor, the Ministry of Health, and other relevant bodies;
• that open and regular federal monitoring of air, water, soil, and marine quality be ensured, and that an independent investigation be conducted to assess damage to biological resources;
• that a full range of measures to protect residents and remediate the contamination be organised at federal expense, including medical examination of the population, provision of safe drinking water, complete decontamination of affected areas and waters, and fair compensation for damages to affected citizens.