Joint demining operation in Black Sea set to begin in July

Turkish, Romanian and Bulgarian forces to begin joint operations to remove mines from the Black Sea next month in a collaborative effort to ensure maritime safety, the Turkish ambassador to Romania, Ozgur Kivanc Altan, announced.

Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Black Sea task force follows an agreement ratified earlier this year.

Turkish, Romanian and Bulgarian Forces to clear mines

Starting in July, warships from the three nations will launch a coordinated mission to address the mine threat in the Black Sea.

“Undertaking such an endeavor necessitates collaboration with nations to which you are profoundly allied, viewing them as strategic partners,” Altan stated during an event in Edirne on June 11.

The agreement, signed in January, aims to secure safe waters amid ongoing regional conflicts, particularly Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Russian navy mined Ukraine’s Black Sea coastline during the initial stages of its invasion two years ago, with some mines subsequently washing up in the waters of Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria.

This situation has endangered shipping and complicated Ukraine’s efforts to break through a Russian naval blockade.

Deployment, coordination

A total of four vessels will be deployed for the operation, including mine countermeasure ships from Türkiye, Romania, and Bulgaria, along with an additional command-and-control vessel. The initiative is exclusively open to the naval forces of these three coastal allied nations.

Altan highlighted the extensive strategic collaborations between Türkiye and Romania, particularly within NATO. “We operate conjointly within NATO, conducting numerous exercises together. Our deployment of four F-16 fighter jets to safeguard Romanian airspace for a span of four months is a testament to our camaraderie. This is not a gesture we extend to every nation; we dispatch our pilots selectively,” he elaborated.

Romania’s Ambassador to Ankara, Stefan Alexandru Tinca, also emphasized the robust diplomatic ties historically shared by the two countries, underscoring the significance of this joint operation.