Russian strike on petrol station contaminates Kyiv lake with 350 tonnes of petroleum products

More than 350 tonnes of petroleum products and emulsions entered Lake Kyrylivske after a Russian strike on a petrol station in Kyiv's Obolonskyi district on the night of 1-2 July.

Source: Ukraine's Ministry of Economy

Details: The spill involved Lake Kyrylivske, which is part of the Opechen lake system. The ministry said the main volume of fuel was contained before it reached the lake, but some contamination still entered the water.

Ukraine's State Emergency Service localised the pollution using containment booms. Special equipment is now removing the main layer of petroleum products from the lake's surface.

The next stage will involve treating the water area with a special sorbent designed to bind the remaining oil film so it can be removed.

The Ministry of Economy said the environmental damage is "extremely serious" and has already joined the process of documenting the ecological losses.

A commission is expected to approve a comprehensive clean-up plan in the near future. It will include final cleaning of the lake, water quality monitoring, checks on neighbouring bodies of water, damage assessment and the further restoration of the ecosystem.

Swimming, fishing and any contact with the water in Lake Kyrylivske and Lake Yordanske are prohibited until the chemical condition of the water returns to normal.

Background:

• On the night of 2-3 July, Russian forces conducted four attacks on petrol stations in Sumy Oblast. The Russians also attacked a petrol station in Chernihiv Oblast on 2 July.
• Russian forces also struck a petrol station in the Lubny district of Poltava Oblast.

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