We all took notice when about 4.9 million barrels of oil were spilled into the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon disaster, but the fact that about 30 million barrels of oil are spilled on Russian land each year might be news to a lot of us.
After analysing satellite images to identify spill sites in the Arctic and subarctic regions Greenpeace volunteers travelled to the Komi Republic to investigate and expose together with partner organisation 'Save the Pechora Committee' the extent of damage caused by the spills. Photographer Denis Sinyakov, one of the Arctic 30, was with them and documents their efforts of cleaning up the contaminated areas.
To me his pictures show the problem of black, slimy oil fields in an almost disturbing beauty. Please tell the oil companies to clean up their act. 
Greenpeace volunteers clean up an oil spill outside Usinsk in the Komi Republic.
Clean up of oil spill outside Usinsk. Greenpeace and 'Save the Pechora Committee' find and map numerous oil spills, clean up oil contaminated areas and collect case studies from the local population.
Site of an oil spill outside Usinsk
A folk choir from the nearby village of Kolva, perform during the opening ceremony of a Greenpeace oil camp outside Usinsk in the Komi Republic.
Asti Roesle, a Greenpeace campaigner from Switzerland takes part in an oil patrol outside Usinsk in the Komi Republic.
Greenpeace volunteers Liza Udilova (L) and Victoria Rudenko from Russia take part in a clean up operation at an oil spill area outside Usinsk.
A dead bird, discovered by Greenpeace volunteers during a cleaning operation is pictured at an oil field outside Usinsk in the Komi Republic.
A Greenpeace volunteer pumps oil from a spill at an oil field outside Usinsk.
Oil spill outside Usinsk.
Greenpeace volunteers bear witness to the huge scale of the problem of oil spills.
Greenpeace activist Lukas Meus (Austria) scops in an oil patrol outside Usinsk in the Komi Republic.
An oil spill outside Usinsk.
