Thread by @EdClowes

An environmental catastrophe is unfolding right now in Russia, where 20,000 tons of oil has spilled in to the Arctic, turning rivers red and poisoning the land.

It is one of the worst spills in history.

"We've never seen anything like this in the Arctic."

Thread:

Russia’s state fishing agency said the area would need decades to recover after the accident at a power station in the industrial city of Norilsk, already called the most polluted place on earth.

Greenpeace has likened the disaster to the Exxon Valdez spill.

Echoing the attempted cover up of Chernobyl, oil spewed in to the Arctic rivers for more than 48 HOURS before officials in Moscow finally found out.

Putin publicly slammed the mining company for not informing him sooner.

The operator of the power plant has been arrested.

Even now, the true extent of the destruction is unclear.

Some in Russia want the fuel burned.

“It’s a very difficult situation," said Russia’s environment minister, Dmitry Kobylkin. "I can’t imagine burning so much fuel in an Arctic territory…such a huge bonfire over such an area will be a big problem."

The slick spreads for miles.

Putin has now declared a state of emergency as the oil slick heads towards the Arctic ocean.

With everything else going on, you might've missed this story over the last few days.

You can read more about the disaster here: bbc.co.uk/news/world-eur…