Russia's Arctic region sees second fuel leak in just two months as state of emergency declared

Just six weeks following a huge oil spill in the north of Russia, the country has experienced another environmental disaster, after 45 tons of jet fuel leaked from a pipeline in the Krasnoyarsk Region, inside the Arctic Circle.

In the space of 15 minutes, 44.5 tons of aviation fuel spilled due to the depressurization of a pipeline operated by Norilsktransgaz – a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel.

This is the third recent environmental incident linked to the mining and energy giant, after a fuel storage tank at a thermal power plant, also owned by a subsidiary of Norilsk Nickel, leaked 21,000 tonnes of diesel on May 29. In June, another company subsidiary fired specialists from a separate facility when it was revealed they had contaminated local waterways by dumping waste.

In regards to the recent fuel spill, Norilsk Nickel has stated that “there is no threat to life or the health of people in the area.” Local authorities have declared a state of emergency.

The fuel leak occurred near the small village of Tukhard, about 2,700 kilometers northeast of Moscow, and 70 kilometers away from the Yenisey River, which flows into the Arctic Ocean.

After the spill in May, Russia’s environmental protection agency Rosprirodnadzor estimated the damage at around 148 billion rubles ($2 billion) and demanded the mining giant pay this as compensation. The company plans to challenge the figure in court. The president of Norilsk Nickel, Vladimir Potanin, is thought to be one of Russia’s richest men, with an estimated fortune of $24.7 billion.

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