Türkiye refuses to let UK minehunters given to Ukraine into Black Sea

Türkiye has denied reports that it has allowed two minehunter ships handed over to Ukraine by the UK to enter the Black Sea.

Source: European Pravda, citing a statement from the Turkish Presidential Office's Centre for Countering Disinformation

Details: The Turkish agency said that claims made by some media that "minehunters donated to Ukraine by the UK were allowed to pass through the Turkish straits into the Black Sea" were not true.

It recalled that Türkiye, as the guarantor of the Black Sea straits of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles under the Montreux Convention, had closed them to "warships of the belligerent parties (Russia and Ukraine)".

"Our pertinent allies have been duly apprised that the mine-hunting ships donated to Ukraine by the United Kingdom will not be allowed to pass through the Turkish Straits to the Black Sea as long as the war continues," the Turkish statement added.

The agency stressed that this decision was taken "to prevent escalation in the Black Sea".

The announcement that Ukraine would receive two British minehunters was made in December at the launch of the Maritime Capabilities Coalition, which is responsible for strengthening Ukraine's naval capabilities.

As part of the coalition, the UK and Norway announced the transfer of two Royal Navy Sandown-class minehunters to Ukraine.

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