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Odessa residents swim in Black Sea despite war pollution
🇸🇪 Sweden /Environment & Climate

Odessa residents swim in Black Sea despite war pollution

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Residents in Odessa, Ukraine, continue to swim and sunbathe at the Black Sea despite significant pollution from the ongoing war.
  • The water quality is compromised by oil spills, debris from drones and ammunition, and wreckage from sunken ships, exacerbated by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June 2023.
  • While authorities provide daily advisories based on water samples, scientists and locals acknowledge the risks, with some experiencing gastrointestinal issues, yet the desire to access the sea persists.

Despite the pervasive dangers of war, the people of Odessa cling to their connection with the Black Sea. Beaches along the city's coast, a centuries-old part of Odessa's identity, remain popular spots for picnics, jogs, and swimming, even as the water carries the grim detritus of conflict.

We are swimming, but I follow the municipality's bathing recommendations.

— Daria LahodaA local resident on her practice of swimming despite water quality concerns.

Oil spills, ammunition fragments, drone wreckage, and general pollution have severely degraded water quality. The ecological balance was further disrupted by the 2023 Kakhovka dam destruction, which washed pesticides and industrial waste into the sea. Locals like Daria Lahoda, a doctor, report patients suffering from stomach ailments and diarrhea after swimming, leading her to follow official advisories and avoid the sea for periods.

It is impossible to forbid people in Odessa to swim.

— Vladislav PonomarenkoA hydrologist explaining the persistent desire of residents to use the beaches.

Hydrologists like Vladislav Ponomarenko, who monitor water quality, acknowledge the challenges. "It is impossible to forbid people in Odessa to swim," he states, noting that sea currents bring oil slicks to the shore. While scientists themselves swim and allow their children to do so, they adhere to daily quality assessments. The most significant danger, however, remains the mines laid in the early months of the war, though efforts have been made to clear the waters near the beaches.

Sea currents also bring oil spills to Odessa. Sometimes the oil makes it impossible to swim.

— Vladislav PonomarenkoExplaining the recurring pollution issues affecting the Black Sea coast.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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