Reports emerged on the morning of 15 December indicating that two Russian tankers, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239, were sinking in the Kerch Strait. Both vessels were reported to be broken in half, with fuel oil leaking into the water.

A Russian oil tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of oil products split apart during a heavy storm on Sunday, spilling oil into the Kerch Strait, while another tanker was also in distress after sustaining damage,

Two Russian oil tankers have taken heavy damage amid a storm in the Kerch Strait, spilling oil and sparking an emergency rescue operation, Russian officials told state news