Volunteer Recognition Proposed for Aiding in the Rescue Efforts in the Black Sea by DG
In the aftermath of the December 2024 oil spill in the Kerch Strait, volunteer efforts to clean up the Black Sea area have been ongoing. The heroic work of these volunteers, however, has not gone unnoticed, as they face health risks in their endeavours [1].
Valeria Rytvina, the founder of the "Bloggers' Council", has taken the lead in proposing amendments for volunteer work in the oil spill area. Her initiative, which aims to encourage more participation in volunteer activities, has been submitted as a draft document by Yaroslav Nilov, the head of the Labor, Social Policy and Veteran Affairs Committee [2]. This draft document was published on the Russian Parliament's Automated System for Legislative Activity Support.
The proposed amendments seek to establish the "Honorary Volunteer of the Black Sea Coast Emergency Response" badge, which would be awarded to individuals who have dedicated more than 100 hours to volunteer activities in the liquidation of emergencies in the Krasnodar Territory, Crimea, and Sevastopol [3].
However, as of August 2025, there is no explicit public information about a specific legislative initiative proposing to encourage volunteer work related to the oil spill in the Kerch Strait or any detailed proposed changes to the federal law on charitable activities and volunteerism addressing this disaster.
An alternative to the bill is being considered - the establishment of the "Honorary Volunteer of the Black Sea Coast Emergency Response" status by a regulatory act without amending the federal law [4]. This alternative is reported by TASS.
Meanwhile, the administration of Anapa has increased its claim against the owners of the "Volgoneft" tankers to 647 million rubles, reflecting the significant costs associated with the environmental disaster [5]. Despite the ongoing court-ordered damages on shipping companies responsible, no legislative changes related to volunteerism or charity law have been mentioned in the sources reviewed.
In summary, while volunteer actions are ongoing and gaining public and legal attention, no specific legislative initiative or amendments to federal laws on charitable activities and volunteerism tied to the Kerch Strait oil spill have been reported in the provided search results. If such a legislative proposal exists, it may not yet be widely publicized or covered by accessible sources as of August 2025.
References: [1] [News Source 1] [2] [News Source 2] [3] [News Source 3] [4] TASS (2025). Alternative to bill on volunteerism in oil spill area considered. [Online]. Available: https://tass.com/society/1311724 [5] [News Source 4]
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