The volunteer's report contradicts the goal of clearing Anapa's beaches of fuel oil.

Ilya Sotnikov, a resident of the village of Blagoveshchenskaya, drove an ATV onto the beach of the village to pick up collected fuel oil; the report against him will be reviewed in a few days. According to the law, the inspectors are right, since the beach is a specially protected natural area, but it should have been taken into account that the purpose of the trip was to help clean up the beaches, volunteers and environmentalists pointed out.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, an administrative protocol was drawn up against a volunteer who came to clean up fuel oil on the territory of the specially protected natural area (SPNA) "Anapa Peresyp" for using an ATV.

Authorities are obstructing the cleanup of fuel oil on the shore

The case has been postponed, as stated in the Directorate's decision, "due to technical reasons (the inability to ensure proper printing of the case materials and the timely entry of information into them),"  Ilya Sotnikov told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

He noted that the vibratory trailer, for the use of which he could be fined, was used for trips to the beach and for transporting Sifted fuel oil fraction in bags.

"This year, they're not allowing us to clean up the remains of last year's fuel oil. ATVs aren't allowed on the beach. They issued a citation during the beach cleanup," Sotnikov said.

We worked with activists to clean up the village's central beach. For which he was awarded by the mayor

He also said that he is a local resident.

"I run a business in the summer. I worked in the food service industry for over ten years – a summer cafe-canteen in Blagoveshchenskaya. Last year, I didn't open the establishment due to the fuel oil emergency. My father and I built a vibratory trailer last year on a vibratory plate, and with its help, we cleaned the central beach of the village with activists. For which he was awarded by the mayor," Sotnikov stated.

Sotnikov doesn't have a lawyer; he is supported by ecologist Yevgeny Vitishko, who suggests that the Ministry of Natural Resources may be obstructing the fuel oil cleanup on the Bugay Spit.

"Perhaps someone gave the order through the task force. We need to show that "Everything is normal now. That nothing is happening, that those areas can be accessed by people, that is, brought up to standard. But I think that part of the Anapa embankment will be closed to vacationers during the season," Vitishko said.

According to him, there is currently no precise information about the level of pollution in the area.

"We have no information. At least not yet, as long as there are remaining parts of the tankers (underwater)," he said, noting that the possibility of fuel oil still reaching the Anapa area remains.

He also noted that some of the collected material was taken away as "cleaned sand," mostly to the municipal solid waste landfill.

"That is, this sand is also waste, and in no way a reclamation agent. It has not been cleaned to standard standards and is not suitable for use in any industry," he pointed out. Vitishko.

Only volunteers were cleaning up the fuel oil there, plus in addition to fuel oil, palm oil is also being collected.

He also reported that since the Anapa embankment is a specially protected area, they are simply trying to block access and passage right outside populated areas.

04:01 01.03.2026

Volunteers reported large palm oil spills in the Temryuk district

In two days, volunteers from the Dolphins headquarters, who are cleaning up fuel oil along the coast of the Kerch Strait, collected 380 bags of palm oil and oily sand.

"Essentially, there is no mechanized cleanup. Generally, only volunteers were cleaning up the fuel oil there. Besides fuel oil, palm oil is also being collected. It recently spilled into the sea and is essentially biodiesel," said Vitishko.

He considers the punishment they want to impose on the volunteer unlawful.

"There will be procedural action by this authorized body, which has the right to issue reports there, and then we will decide what to do next. At least, we conveyed this to the vice-governor, and I personally, through my acquaintances, asked the minister not to do this. But so far he hasn't heard, and they think they're doing everything right," Vitishko said.

Volunteers pointed out the inconsistency of the fines and the purpose of the coastal cleanup.

Alexander Kirpa, head of the "Dolphins" volunteer headquarters, believes that the penalty facing the volunteer is correct in form, although in essence it is an obstacle to coastal cleanup efforts.

Those responsible are not They clean up the area, so people get up, go help nature and clean up themselves. And then suddenly an inspector shows up and starts fining people.

"There are regulations according to which everyone, whether they're a volunteer, a local resident, or anyone else, must adhere to certain rules, since it's a protected natural area, a nature park. This means you're not allowed to enter this area, much less drive a vehicle there. You have to coordinate this with those responsible for this area. But, on the other hand, there's a fine line here, because you need to help nature, clean it up. Those responsible don't clean up the area, so people get up and go help nature and clean it up themselves. And then suddenly an inspector shows up and starts fining people, writing tickets. It's somehow incompatible," Kirpa said.

13:06 27.03.2026

Authorities have decided to fill all of Anapa's beaches with imported sand

New sand will appear on all of Anapa's sandy beaches by June 1, as the government commission for the cleanup of the fuel oil spill has deemed this an effective solution. Water and soil samples from the pebble beaches meet standards, and they are being prepared for reopening, the governor of Kuban stated.

At the same time, he noted that the "Dolphins" headquarters only operates in areas where there is a presence Volunteers have been approved.

"We don't go there without permission, absolutely. So, they approved our work, we called, corresponded, wrote the paperwork, and that's it, they gave us the go-ahead. A representative arrived, and the representative and I went into the protected area. We went there and helped out with ECO 112 and KB Kalyaev. We organized cleanup days. We agreed on a list of equipment, and they stopped bothering us. Our work area is the Kerch Strait from the Crimean Bridge to Cape Panagia. There are places there where fuel oil lies a meter deep under the sand. We roll it out and get the fuel oil. "Overall, we can say that 90% of the contamination has been removed," Kirpa explained.

Zhanna Rybak, head of the SSL Volunteers headquarters, reported that sifting has been prohibited on the Bugaz Spit since June 2025.

"Both mechanical and manual. It was cleaned manually from the very beginning and successfully. But this decision was made by the regional Ministry of Natural Resources. The explanation was that access for equipment is no longer possible due to the territory's status. And even for manual sifting, bags must be removed," she told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In her opinion, the pollution is currently not widespread, but there are areas that require additional treatment.

"Currently, fuel oil can only be collected there manually and during new emissions, when they occur. Old fuel oil is not collected in any way in the remaining areas. "We also have a permit to collect storm debris," Rybak noted.

She found it difficult to assess the legality of Sotnikov's punishment.

"It's complicated, because everything seems to be within the law. But why can't a resident of Blagoveshchenskaya clean up his own beach if no one else does it? We're talking specifically about the village's central beach, where people relax and which is a recreational area of ​​the protected area. On the day of the fine, he was cleaning up that beach, not the Bugaz Spit," Rybak explained.