Anapa Sets Official Dates for 2026 Beach Season After Cleanup Efforts

The Black Sea resort of Anapa has officially announced the start of its 2026 swimming season, running from June 1 through September 30. Mayor Svetlana Maslova signed the decree this week, confirming the timeline for the popular tourist destination that is still recovering from last year's oil spill disaster.

Preparations are already underway on beaches that have been cleared from the emergency zone. Earlier this month, regional authorities reported that one kilometer of shoreline in Vityazevo had been declared safe after a successful sand replenishment test. Rospotrebnadzor, the consumer safety watchdog, certified the beach as meeting all sanitary standards. Eight gravel beaches in Anapa have also been removed from the danger list.

Maslova stated that crews are now setting up infrastructure on the cleared sandy and pebble beaches. The municipal enterprise "Resorts of Anapa" will soon begin harrowing and sifting the sand on replenished sections. After that, concessionaires will install sunbeds, umbrellas, and other beach amenities.

The cleanup follows the December 2024 wreck of two tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, during a storm in the Kerch Strait. Around 2,400 tons of oil products spilled into the sea, fouling over 3,000 kilometers of coastline across the Krasnodar region. Authorities have since worked to restore the affected areas, with Anapa now ready to welcome visitors back for the summer season.