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16 June 2026, 08:35
The war has caused $23 billion in damage to the marine environment of the Odessa region
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PHOTO: Vladislav Balinsky/Facebook
The damage to the marine environment along the coast of the Odesa region caused by the war has exceeded 23 billion hryvnias.
This was reported by the press service of the State Environmental Inspection of the Southwestern District.
In particular, as a result of rocket strikes and damage to port infrastructure, there have been repeated instances of pollutants entering the Black Sea. One of the most significant types of pollution was the release of vegetable oils that were stored or transported through port facilities.
Oil pollution along the Odessa coast won’t ruin the tourist season — experts
"At first glance, vegetable oil may seem like a harmless substance. However, once it enters the water, it forms a dense film on the surface that hinders natural gas exchange between the atmosphere and the sea. As a result, oxygen levels decline, marine organisms suffer, and natural processes—on which the stability of the entire ecosystem depends—are disrupted. Such pollution is particularly dangerous for fish, invertebrates, and other marine life. "The consequences may manifest not only immediately after the accident but also over a long period of time, affecting the state of marine ecosystems and their ability to recover," the inspection agency explained.
The most recent such oil spill into the sea was recorded following a missile strike in late April. At that time, the contaminated area in the northwestern part of the Black Sea rapidly expanded within a day—from tens to hundreds of square kilometers. This was already the third instance of vegetable oil entering the sea. Environmentalists noted that vegetable oil entering the sea harms birds and marine organisms. Thus, in January, dead seahorses began to be found on the coast.
And following the spill in late December 2025, residents of Odessa rushed to rescue seabirds whose feathers were being glued together by the oil, destroying the waterproof layer that covers them. As a result, the birds die because they get wet and freeze.
