Russia declared a regional state of emergency on Saturday in Crimea, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, as workers cleared tons of contaminated sand and earth on either side of the Kerch Strait following an oil spill in the Black Sea last month.

Razvozhaev's announcement came after authorities in Russia's southern Krasnodar region announced a region-wide emergency last week, as the fuel oil continued washing up on the coastline 10 days after one tanker ran aground and the other was left damaged and adrift on December 15.

Oil was found on four beaches in the region and was 'promptly eliminated' by local authorities working together with volunteers, the regional governor said. #EuropeNews

Russian-appointed officials in Crimea announced an emergency on Saturday, as oil was detected on the shores of the peninsula’s largest city.