A Russian court has ordered a construction company to pay over 1.7 million rubles (approximately $18,500) for environmental damage in the country’s ecologically sensitive Far East. The ruling targets the firm “Trest” for causing significant soil pollution near the Avacha River on the Kamchatka Peninsula, a region renowned for its pristine natural landscapes and volcanic activity.
The case stems from an incident where the company was building a pressure collector in the town of Yelizovo. An on-site inspection revealed that drilling mud had been spilled across an area of nearly 242 square meters (about 2,600 square feet) on the riverbank, directly contaminating the soil in the protected water zone.
The legal action was initiated by Russia’s federal environmental watchdog, Rosprirodnadzor, following an investigation in October 2024. Subsequent laboratory analysis of soil samples taken from the site confirmed that the concentration of pollutants significantly exceeded permissible legal levels, officially documenting the environmental harm caused by the company’s construction activities.
According to court documents, the environmental agency first issued a demand for “Trest” to voluntarily compensate for the calculated damages. After the company failed to comply, the agency pursued the matter through the legal system. The court ultimately sided with the environmental watchdog, ordering the firm to pay for the damages in full, in addition to approximately 76,000 rubles (about $820) in state fees. The court’s decision has not yet entered into legal force, leaving the possibility for an appeal.