Russians poisoned the Seim River, which flows into the Desna - State Fisheries Agency

The Russians caused large-scale pollution of the Seim River by dumping waste of unknown substances. The water has been found to contain exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations of pollutants, including ammonium and suspended solids. This was stated by the State Agency  for the Development of Land Reclamation, Fisheries and Food Programs, UNN reports.

Details

The Agency said that according to the results of hydrochemical analysis of surface water samples in Sejm, the maximum permissible concentrations of pollutants, in particular ammonium, were exceeded.

Experts assume that the Russians dumped unknown waste into the river, which led to massive fish deaths due to the low content of oxygen dissolved in the water.

As of August 27, the contamination spread across the entire Seim River in Sumy Oblast and reached Chernihiv Oblast, where black water, rotting smell, ammonia and dead fish were spotted near Baturyn.

In this regard, the Konotop District Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergency Situations decided to temporarily ban (until further notice) swimming, fishing and the use of water for household needs from the Seim River in the territory of Novoslobidska, Bochechkivska, Popivska rural, Burynska, Putivlska, Krolevetska urban territorial communities

Currently, the State Fisheries Agency's fish protection patrols, together with other government agencies, are taking all the necessary measures to eliminate the consequences of the environmental disaster.

In particular, work is underway to collect and bury dead fish in compliance with all necessary sanitary standards.

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Earlier , Vyshgorod Mayor Oleksiy Momot reported on his Facebook page that toxic substances flowing from Russia were found in the Desna River. The Kyiv Regional Commission banned swimming and fishing in the Desna River and its bays in Brovary and Vyshhorod districts.

Momot has now deleted his post.

Subsequently, the Kyiv RMA stated that the State Environmental Inspectorate of the Capital District did not find any exceedance of the maximum permissible concentrations of organic and mineral substances in the Desna River within the Kyiv region.

However, residents of the region were still advised not to use water from the river, swim or fish.

For reference

The Seim River flows within the Belgorod and Kursk regions of Russia, and also in Ukraine - within Sumy (Sumy, Konotop districts) and Chernihiv regions (Koryukiv, Nizhyn districts). 

It is the leftmost and largest tributary of the Desna River, which flows from the Smolensk Upland and flows into the Dnipro River above Kyiv.