Yakutia authorities label residents’ video on oil spill as fake, correct post later

Oil spilled into the Vilyuy River near the Kysyl-Syr settlement on June 15. Previously, residents noticed a tanker at the pier awaiting the discharge of oil products. The water downstream was covered with a sheen and had a pungent smell, as reported by 'Torboznoye Radio,' which published a video filmed by a local resident.

The Ministry of Ecology of Yakutia conducted an examination, took their own videos with the tanker in the background, and asserted that there were no traces of oil products. Specialists took water samples.

The Ministry then published an official statement on their Telegram channel, labeling the video filmed by locals as fake because it did not feature a date and time. Republican media outlets spread the Ministry’s statement. Later, officials deleted the part of their post containing the accusations.

On June 16, the rescue service of Yakutia confirmed an oil spill during the loading of a barge from the Leninsky United River Shipping Company. Oil products reached the Khorintsy settlement by water, and local residents helped mitigate the consequences of the spill. Currently, barriers have been installed at the incident site.

This is the second publicly known oil spill registered in Yakutia within the past two months. A similar incident occurred in mid-May at an oilfield in the Lensky District. The oil company 'Surgutneftegas' hid the incident for almost a week, preventing inspectors from the Ministry of Ecology from accessing the site.

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