Russia's armed aggression causes mass death of dolphins in Black Sea, investigation launched

The armed aggression of Russia resulted into mass death of dolphins in the Black Sea, the prosecutor's office has opened a case on the fact of ecocide and sends requests for international legal assistance to a number of countries to establish similar cases, according to the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (PGO).

"Since the beginning of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, a large number of dead marine mammals have been found on the beaches of Odesa region. The probable cause of their death is the use of sonars on submarines and surface boats of the aggressor country. Sonars emit powerful sounds that negatively affect animals' health," the PGO said on the Telegram channel on Wednesday.

At the initiative of the PGO, examinations and autopsies of porpoises and dolphins found dead on the coasts were carried out.

The taken samples will be sent for research to the University of Padova, Italy, and for a separate study of the structures of the inner ear of mammals to the University of Hannover, Germany.

"The prosecutor's office is also preparing requests for international legal assistance to the Republic of Bulgaria, the Republic of Turkey and Romania to establish similar cases of death of dolphins," the PGO said.