The Black Sea has been cleared of mines: how long will it take?
1 July 2024 16:18
Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania have launched an operation to clear the Black Sea of mines. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" reports with reference to a Bloomberg publication.
The demining operation started on Monday, 1 July. The aim of this initiative, which was proposed by official Istanbul, is to improve shipping safety. In particular, it is about the safety of dry cargo ships that will transport Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea. The operation involves demining ships, patrol vessels, helicopters and drones.
Media reports say that this is the first major joint action by Black Sea countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, aimed at clearing mines drifting into certain areas of the Black Sea.
What is the current situation with mines in the Black Sea?
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the enemy has been actively mining the Black Sea. This creates risks for shipping and threatens a food catastrophe.
In early January 2024, Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria signed an agreement on joint mine clearance in the Black Sea. According to Bulgaria’s Defence Minister Todor Tagarev, work on the agreement began in the summer of 2023. This is because the mines that the Russian military has planted in the Black Sea are being carried by the current to the shores of Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria.
This initiative remains open to other NATO members, given that the elimination of large-scale mine contamination requires broad international cooperation.
For example, Romanian Foreign Minister Luminica Odobescu has expressed hope to expand this cooperation to include more NATO allies in the future, acting as a strong united front against maritime threats from Russia.
For their part, Ukraine’s allies note that official Kyiv faces a daunting task: clearing more than 800 square kilometres of minefields in the Black Sea
Speaking about the problem of clearing the Black Sea of mines, Lieutenant Commander Stephen David Benfield of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom noted that such an operation is not only a global but also a regional challenge.
“It (mine clearance – ed.) affects the free flow of maritime trade and, consequently, the global food supply. Ensuring the free flow of trade to and from Ukrainian ports by clearing Ukrainian waters is truly a global issue,” Benfield said.
He added that the process of clearing the Black Sea of mines could take five years and requires ongoing international cooperation. Options such as a UN Security Council mandate or support from the General Assembly are possible to achieve success.
