NOVO-OGARYOVO, January 9. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the oil spill that occurred at the end of last year in the Black Sea one of the biggest environmental challenges the country has faced in recent memory.

"This is one of the most serious environmental challenges we have faced in recent years," the president pointed out at a meeting with the Russian Cabinet.

He emphasized that this issue must not be overlooked at today's meeting and asked Russian Emergencies Minister Alexander Kurenkov to report on the situation, outlining the steps to be taken in the near future "to mitigate the consequences of this environmental incident."

The oil spill

On December 15, the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 tankers sank in the Kerch Strait area in the Black Sea amid a storm. One sailor died, and the rest were evacuated. According to emergency services, the tankers were carrying about 9,200 tons of fuel oil. An oil spill occurred in the Black Sea as a result of the accident, and clean-up operations are ongoing. According to the Russian Ministry of Transport, about 2,400 tons of oil products have leaked into the Black Sea, much less than initially estimated.