News: Two Russian oil tankers sustained significant damage during a storm in the Kerch Strait. The damage caused oil to spill and triggered an emergency rescue operation.
About Kerch Strait
- It is a strait in Eastern Europe.
- It connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
- It separates the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea in the west from the Taman Peninsula of Russia’s Krasnodar Krai in the east.
- Historical significance:
- The primary harbor, the Crimean city of Kerch, gives the strait its name.
- It was previously known as the Cimmerian Bosporus or the Straits of Taman and has also been referred to as the Straits of Yenikale.
- Strategic significance– It is the only direct link between Russia and Crimea. It plays a crucial role in supplying fuel, food, and other essential goods to Crimea, which is home to the port of Sevastopol – the historic base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
