Mines in the Black Sea were seized by Russia in Crimea back in 2014 - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Wednesday, 30 March 2022, 01:14
Russia is trying to discredit Ukraine in the eyes of its international partners by mining the Black Sea.
Source: ‘European Pravda’ quoting a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
The statement claims that Russian Federation naval forces have been carrying out illegal activities in the Black Sea since the beginning of the war against Ukraine.
"Apart from seizing and destroying civilian maritime vessels and bombarding Ukraine from the sea, Russia has invented a new method of piracy, which is the use of sea mines as uncontrolled drifting munitions," the statement said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that based on the results of the identification exercise, it has been established that these are sea mines which had not been registered with the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of the beginning of 2022.
"These mines were seized by the Russian armed forces in 2014 during the Russian military invasion and temporary occupation of the Ukrainian city Sevastopol. Therefore, Russia, by using naval mines from the military depots seized in 2014, is deliberately resorting to provocation and discrediting Ukraine in the eyes of international partners," the Foreign Ministry claimed.
The Ministry stressed that "Russia's deliberate use of drifting sea mines turns them into de facto weapons of indiscriminate action, which first and foremost threatens non-military shipping and human life at sea throughout the waters not only of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, but also the Kerch and Black Sea Straits."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that Ukraine has already notified the International Maritime Organisation about Russia's use of drifting mines in the Black Sea.
Background: On 26 March, Turkish authorities closed the passage through the Bosphorus because of a mine report. This mine was allegedly one of those used by Russia to mine the Black Sea. Minesweepers neutralised it and navigation through the strait was restored.
A mine was subsequently found off the coast of Romania.
Earlier, Russia mined areas of the Black Sea near Ukraine and spread information through government agencies that these mines could reach the Bosphorus. Russian sources reported the placement of 420 mines. Read more in the article "Naval battle around Ukraine: how NATO can help defeat the aggressor at sea."