Nineteen dolphins were found dead along the Krasnodar coastline following an oil spill caused by the sinking of the Russian tanker Volgoneft 212 in the Kerch Strait on December 15.
The Delfa Dolphin Rescue Center attributed the deaths, recorded between December 15 and 23, to acute poisoning from the leaked oil. Environmental concerns remain high as the impact of the disaster continues to unfold.