The Russian Federation intends to start natural gas extraction on the shelf of the Sea of Azov, focusing on the fields “Morske,” “Northern Kazantyp,” and “Eastern Kazantyp.” In particular, the “Morske” field is located approximately 40 kilometers from the temporarily occupied Berdyansk. This field was discovered back in 1977, but its development has not yet begun. The other two fields were identified in the late 1990s and early 2000s, during Ukraine’s independence, but extraction has not taken place there either. Overall, the Russian occupiers consider 22 fields in the waters of the Sea of Azov promising for gas extraction.
This is reported by Business • Media
Objective of Controlling Mineral Resources in Southern Ukraine
According to representatives of the Ukrainian authorities and the Berdyansk City Military Administration, the occupation of the southern territories of the Zaporizhzhia region may be linked to Moscow’s desire to establish control over strategically important natural resources, particularly gas.
Threats to the Ecology of the Sea of Azov
Experts warn that the start of gas exploration and extraction in the Sea of Azov could cause significant environmental damage. This is related to the characteristics of the marine area – the average depth of the sea is only 14 meters, which increases risks for the unique ecosystem.
“The start of gas field exploration in the Sea of Azov will negatively impact the ecology due to the shallow depth of the sea – only 14 meters.”
It is planned that the occupying administrations will begin exploration and development of the fields between 2026 and 2030.