Over 600 active methane emission points have been recorded off the coast of occupied Crimea – an indicator that could signal the beginning of a large-scale environmental catastrophe in the Black Sea. Another 350 such seeps have been recorded in the coastal zone of the Caucasus, UNN reports with reference to the Center for National Resistance.
Details
As reported by the Center, some of the emissions were recorded at depths of up to 725 meters in the form of gas hydrates – crystalline structures that, under certain conditions, can uncontrollably collapse, releasing gigantic volumes of greenhouse gases.
The sharp increase in the number of methane seeps is directly related to the man-made activities of the Russian Federation on the occupied peninsula. This includes offshore drilling for oil and gas production, the construction of military facilities on the coast, and regular naval exercises using explosive devices and heavy equipment.
According to CNS sources, the highest concentration of active methane emissions has been recorded in the area of Cape Fiolent, Sevastopol Bay, and the Kerch Strait – precisely where, for the past six months, the occupiers have been conducting intensive drilling of the marine shelf, disguising it as "geological exploration." Scientific groups that recorded excessive emissions were ordered to "refrain from public comments" after some of the data became publicly available.
Such actions lead to the depressurization of bottom layers, degradation of the seabed, and uncontrolled release of methane, which retains heat 25 times more effectively than carbon dioxide. In the event of further destabilization of the layers, a chain effect of explosive emissions is possible, which will lead to a decrease in oxygen levels in the water and mass death of marine organisms.
Experts warn: if the process is not stopped, the Black Sea may lose its ability to naturally recover. Its deep-water part will become a dead zone, and a wave of methane, raised by explosions or tectonic shifts, will have consequences even for the coastal ecosystems of Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria.
Under the guise of "resource development," the Russian Federation is turning the Black Sea into a zone of man-made risk, where military interests take precedence over environmental safety. According to CNS analysts, this situation is further confirmation that the Kremlin's occupation policy destroys not only people but also nature, leaving behind scorched earth and a dead sea.