Court orders 34.2 billion roubles in damages over Kerch tanker disaster

Krasnodar Region's commercial court upheld the regional environment ministry's claim and ordered three companies jointly to pay 34.2 billion roubles for environmental harm following the Kerch Strait tanker disaster.

The decision was announced on October 15, Interfax reported from the courtroom. The defendants were Volgatransneft, owner of Volgoneft-239, Kamatransoil, owner of Volgoneft-212, and Kama Shipping, the latter vessel's charterer.

The court separately ordered payment of 30.725 million roubles for losses to the Krasnodar regional budget. It upheld the ministry's claim in full.

The claim concerns the two tankers' December 2024 disaster. The judge said the ruling can be appealed within a month.