MOSCOW, December 17 (RIA Novosti) - All traces of November's environmental disaster in the Sea of Azov have been eliminated, a Russian first deputy prime minister said on Monday.
A storm in the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, sank four ships and split an oil tanker in two on November 11. At least six sailors died and around 2,000 metric tons of fuel oil spilled into the sea.
"All trace [of the oil spill] has been virtually eliminated," Sergei Ivanov said.
The deputy prime minister said all the fuel oil that had spilled into the sea had been cleaned up.
"There is no and can be no damage as of today," Ivanov said.
Russian's environmental watchdog Rosprirodnadzor earlier said damage caused by the November 11 storm in the Kerch Strait was estimated at $265 million.
