Closing of straits prevented Russia from occupying Odesa and Mykolaiv – Ukraine's ambassador to Türkiye

Türkiye's enforcement of the Montreux Convention by closing the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits since Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine has thwarted the Kremlin's ability to leverage its maritime superiority to capture Odesa, Mykolaiv, and other regions.

Source: Vasyl Bodnar, Ukraine's Ambassador to Türkiye, in an interview with Ukrinform news agency

Quote from Bodnar: "One of the critical stages of Ukraine's defence was the closure of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits by Türkiye.

We sank the Moskva [flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet], and two other Russian cruisers were waiting in the Mediterranean.

And the fact that Türkiye closed the straits, I believe, did not allow Russia to use its advantage at sea to capture Odesa, Mykolaiv and other territories that Moscow planned to occupy through operations from the sea."

Details: The ambassador also noted that Türkiye has become a major transport hub for Ukraine. At present, there is a visa-free transport system for Ukrainian hauliers in the country.

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