STORY: :: Birds soaked in sunflower oil are collected off Odesa's beaches after a Russian port strike created a spillage
:: Odesa, Ukraine
:: December 24, 2025
:: Ihor Biliakov, Odesa Zoo director
"Birds lose the ability to move because their feathers become coated. They can neither take off nor swim. They lose mobility and freeze very quickly, because it is cold now."
Governor Oleh Kiper said in a post on Telegram the spill occurred after storage tanks of sunflower oil were damaged in attacks on of port infrastructure.
Emergency crews installed floating barriers and deployed specialized vessels to contain the leak, while the port's channel was temporarily closed, its administration said.
The Odesa Zoo has set up a rescue point to clean and rehabilitate affected birds, including great crested and horned grebes, which are highly vulnerable to contamination.
Authorities said the oil is organic and will biodegrade, but monitoring and clean-up efforts continue to prevent further spread.
