Turkish military diving teams safely detonated a floating naval mine in the Black Sea, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday, the third such mine found in its waters since the Ukraine war.
Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of laying mines in the Black Sea, and in late March, Turkish and Romanian military diving teams defused stray mines in its waters.
NATO member Turkey has borders on the Black Sea, as do Russia and Ukraine, which Moscow invaded on February 24 in what it describes as a “special military operation.”
The Black Sea is used for the transport of grain, oil and derived products. Its waters are shared by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and Turkey, as well as Ukraine and Russia.
The Black Sea connects with the Marmara and Mediterranean Seas through the Bosphorus Strait, which runs through the heart of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city with 16 million inhabitants.
Lost mines pose a risk to ships traversing the Bosphorus and could cause damage if they collide with ships, especially oil ships.
Maritime officials say the risk of running into floating mines on the main Black Sea shipping lane adds to the dangers for merchant ships in the region, and governments must ensure safe passage to keep supply chains running.
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