An oil refinery run by state monopoly Gazprom, which is currently fighting allegations of blanketing Moscow in smog earlier this month, has been fined almost 1.4 billion rubles ($30 million) as part of an older environmental case.
Since at least 2007, the refinery in the southeastern Kapotnya neighborhood has been leaking oil and petroleum products into the ground, according to a ruling by a Moscow arbitration court cited by Gazeta.ru on Tuesday.
The ruling also said the refinery has been dumping oil directly into the Moscow River. The court's decision was made in mid-November but did not attract media attention until this week.
The concentration of hazardous chemicals in the refinery's drainage pipe was found to exceed maximum permissible levels by 44 times, the report said.
Gazprom Neft, the oil-focused subsidiary that owns the plant, said it had updated the factory's pollution prevention systems last year, in line with another court ruling. But the refinery was still hit with a fine over the environmental harm caused.
Earlier this month, the refinery was widely considered the prime suspect as a possible source of acrid smog that repeatedly blanketed the city, causing respiration problems for some residents.
The factory denied that it was to blame, however, as did other industrial facilities in the city's southeast. Environmental authorities tried to blame the polluted air on burning wood, but conceded that industrial exhausts could have at least contributed.
So far, officials have not been able to name which factory has been fouling up the air in the city of 14 million for several weeks.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
