No Visual Confirmation of Toxic Spill Found at 2 Testing Sites in Kamchatka, Governor Says

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKIY, Russia (Sputnik) - There are no visible signs of an alleged chemical leak at two Russian military testing sites in Russia's Kamchatka Territory, the region's governor, Vladimir Solodov, claimed on Wednesday.

According to the governor, inspectors visited the Kozelsky toxic chemicals testing site on Tuesday, where they conducted visual surveillance and collected ground and water samples.

"The testing ground was surveyed from above, there were no visual indicators of a spill, but we will carefully monitor that facility," Solodov said, adding that the site's outside perimeter showed signs of breaches.

The governor made a similar observation concerning the Radyginsky testing site.

"There is no reason to suggest that there was a chemical spill there," he said.

In late September, local surfers complained that the water at the Khalaktyrskiy beach had changed colour and was causing a skin rash and swollen eyes. According to the territory's Environmental Ministry, dead sea animals littered the beach and were also found at the Malaya and Bolshaya Lagernaya Bays and the Babya Bay.

The ministry also registered increased levels of petroleum products and phenol. Later, the head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Kobylkin, said that no chemical agents had been detected but did confirm a slight increase in phosphates and iron.