Rospotrebnadzor did not disclose data on the condition of Anapa beaches

The department refused to transfer the research results even to the deputy of Anapa, citing the decision of the government commission

The Rospotrebnadzor office for the Krasnodar Territory refused to provide information on the quality of sea water and sand in Anapa after the fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait in December 2024.

As ecologist Evgeny Vitishko reported, the department did not respond in substance to the official request of Anapa deputy Oleg Yantsen. In the letter, Rospotrebnadzor referred to the decision of the government commission, which prohibited the transfer of research results to other departments, the media and bloggers.

According to the department’s response, monitoring data is regularly sent only to the government commission for eliminating the consequences of the crash of fuel oil tankers in 2024.

The oil spill after the accident in the Kerch Strait led to pollution of the Black Sea coast, the death of birds and dolphins, and the closure of a significant part of the beaches of Anapa and the Temryuk region.

Authorities are trying to open beaches by summer

In mid-April, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said that a government commission had directed “every effort” to open Anapa’s beaches by June 1.

According to the official, regional authorities are now adding sand to the beaches, after which the territories are inspected by Rospotrebnadzor.

At the end of March, the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova said that the content of petroleum products in the sand remains too high for the opening of beaches, especially children's ones. However, she admitted that the situation could change by the beginning of the season.

Tourists continue to book holidays

Despite the environmental situation, holiday bookings in Anapa continue to grow. According to authorities, since the beginning of the year the number of bookings has increased by 30-40% compared to last season, and for the May holidays the increase reached approximately 50%.

In 2025, when the beaches were effectively closed, about 2 million tourists visited Anapa. This season, authorities expect at least 3 million vacationers, and if the beaches open, up to 5 million.

Residents complain of chemical smell and lack of trust in authorities

Amid preparations for the season , residents of Anapa continue to complain about a strong chemical smell in the city. On May 9 and 10, residents of different areas of the city reported headaches, coughs, nausea and sore throats. Many compared the smell to household gas and petrochemicals.

The mayor of Anapa, Svetlana Maslova, said that the smell is associated with work near Novorossiysk and does not pose a threat. But local residents and environmentalists are demanding independent air monitoring and publication of research results.

According to local activists, residents do not trust official data and believe that the real environmental situation is being hidden.

The beach excluded from the emergency zone is associated with a large hotel business

In April, authorities began importing new sand to the coast of Anapa. One of the experimental sites in the Vityazevo region has already received a positive conclusion from Rospotrebnadzor.

The Caucasian Knot notes that this site is used by the Vita, Pearl of Russia and Miracleon resorts, associated with the Dimoev family, one of the largest owners of resort real estate in Anapa.

Journalists previously mentioned representatives of this family in publications about an alleged bribe to an official of the Federal Property Management Agency, an attempted raider takeover of a sanatorium, and connections with business structures in Anapa, around which criminal cases were being investigated.

The "Caucasian Knot" admits that the decision to open the beach in Vityazev was made in the interests of the Dimoevs.

Earlier, “Verstka” reported that in mid-April, more than 200 dead birds were found off the coast of Anapa, and a new oil spill was recorded in the Black Sea. An oil slick with an area of ​​more than 100 square kilometers drifted towards the coast.

Photo: delivery of sand to the beach in Anapa (Operational Headquarters of the Krasnodar Territory)

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