Russian oil spill may be 'environmental catastrophe'

An oil spill has occurred in one of Russia’s largest export pipelines, causing a potential “environmental catastrophe”, Russian officials said today.

The spill in the western province of Byransk, near Russia’s western border with Ukraine and Belarus, affected a four square-mile area and contaminated local water sources, a Natural Resources Ministry statement said.

“Judging by information reaching the ministry from representatives of environmental organisations … the consequences of the accident may be an environmental catastrophe in the region,” the ministry said.

A ministry spokesman was unable to say whether oil was continuing to flow through the pipeline, Dow Jones Newswires reported.

The 2,485 mile Druzhba has the capacity to ship more than 1.2 million barrels a day and generally works at or close to its full capacity.

State pipeline operator OAO Transneft said the only person with the authority to comment was unavailable.